Life's Ripples
by Laurel Vincent
Summary: (Sequel to Scratched Silver) After Oliver proposes to Nyssa, the two of them start to settle down in Star City. With several people threatening the city and the rest of the world, it's almost impossible for the family of three to lead a normal life but with the help of Nyssa's newly formed Phoenix League, will they succeed in providing balance to the world as they know it?
1. Continued Plans

**Author's Note: Hello everyone and welcome to this 'amazing' sequel for Scratched Silver. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ SCRATCHED SILVER, PLEASE DO SO BEFORE CONTINUING! Anyway, I was trying to develop one strong conflict to use in the story but I ended up coming up with several smaller ones so instead of this being a one conflict story, I'm just going to try and continue it for as long as possible**

 **-(=+=)- -(=+=)- -(=+=)-**

It has been two months since Oliver proposed to Nyssa in Anse Lazio (in mid-April). They both decided to get married on July 18th since that's the time of year when Star City is at its finest. Neither the bride or the groom to be wanted to get married in the city so Oliver had been doing a little extra searching to find just the right place. While he was doing that with Dig's help, Thea had been helping Nyssa find a good wedding dress. Fortunately, the girls have been having better luck than the guys.

William was finally on summer vacation! He had been spending the better part of it hanging out with his male friends plus Zoe. Monica had become one of William's closest friends and she sometimes gave him little tips in tricks into winning a girl's heart…like Zoe's.

After the battle against second HIVE, Kaida had returned to Finiks Jurf and talked with her mom about the whole thing. Later on, the three of them got together and worked something out. Jinja and Kaida would be moving to Star City so Kaida could get that teenage experience she was looking for. They moved to the city in late May and both of them had been getting prepared for Kaida's freshman year which would be starting up in September. Thankfully, she was going to be at the same school and in the same grade as William so he offered his and Zoe's help with the whole transition.

While Oliver and Nyssa were together and almost everyone else on the team had someone they cared about, that didn't exclude Thea. On the night of the battle, Thea had received a phone call from Katara, asking her to accompany the security detail and bomb squad to some of the locations to neutralize the bombs. Thea happily accepted the task and got a ride with Tarren and a couple other members of the first team, including Adrian. One bomb had been tampered with so when a bomb squad member called for some help and Thea was the only one around, she gladly came over to help. There was a miscalculation and the bomb ended up exploding, but Adrian had managed to push Thea out of the way, and take a bit of the hit himself, right in the nick of time. Since then, the two of them had gotten really close and were now dating. When Oliver learned about this, he had a brief meeting with Adrian basically telling him that if he hurts Thea in any way, he will personally see to it that he suffers. Keeping that in mind, Adrian continued to date Thea and for the last few months, everything had been going perfectly between them.

-(=+=)-

"Beloved? Are you in here?" Nyssa asked as she knocked on the door frame of Oliver's at home office

"Yeah, come on in" Oliver smiled when he saw his fiancé at the door. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing at all, just wanted to see you" Nyssa smiled as she walked up behind Oliver and wrapped her arms around his shoulders "Is that alright?"

"Perfect, you know I love seeing you" Oliver replied as he held onto Nyssa's hands "Are you planning on leaving for Finiks Jurf soon?"

"Yeah, I need to get going soon" Nyssa said "I should be back within the next hour or so"

"Okay then, see you get back" Oliver said as he stood up and gave Nyssa a kiss goodbye

"Right, bye" Nyssa waved as she walked out of the office

Nyssa walked down the hallway and into her and Oliver's room, where a small duffle bag containing Nyssa's armor was leaning up against the wall. She quickly put on her armor, then walked out on the balcony. Nyssa nocked an arrow and shot it up to the roof, then pulled herself up. Once she was on the roof, Nyssa called the phoenix and took a quick trip over to Norway, where it was two in the morning.

Nyssa arrived near the lake and stables and saw that the fjord was surprisingly quiet, which is to be expected since a good portion of the assassins present just got back from an extraction in Nicaragua.

"My liege, we were all hoping you would return tonight" A young assassin said from behind her

Nyssa spun around and saw an assassin that looked to be around nineteen years old with dark hair and pale skin, wearing the traditional league armor

"Is there something that requires my attention?" Nyssa asked

"We could use some guidance on an upcoming mission in Italy, but other than that there is nothing that needs to be attended to immediately"

"Has Elena returned?"

"Yes, she's in the entrance hall by the pool"

"Excellent, I'll take a look into the Italy mission once I see her"

The young boy nodded and ran back towards the trail that led up to the caves and bridges. Nyssa followed him after a few minutes of looking out on the lake and river. It was very rare when there wasn't much to do when she stopped by now a day. When she had a moment or two, Nyssa just liked to watch the water. It reminded her of Anse Lazio and when Oliver proposed and to this day, it had been the best day of her life.

Nyssa walked up the trail until she came to the pathway that led to the entrance hall. From the stables and lake, you could hear the roar of the waterfalls, but there was still some walking that was involved. When she finally came to the main hall, she walked inside and saw Elena at the edge of the pools.

"Nyssa! Long time no see!" Elena said as she pulled her best friend into a hug

"It's really good to see you Elena! How's your family doing?" Nyssa asked as they released each other

"Doing fantastic! Athens was a good fit for them and they love getting to spend their days in a city full of history. It was nice getting to see them so happy" Elena replied "So, about this wedding"

"You want to see the ring, don't you" Nyssa laughed

"I've been away for almost two months and only heard rumors of a wedding! Show me the ring!" Elena laughed

Nyssa removed her right glove and showed Elena the silver ring with the three diamonds on it

"Oh dang! That is beautiful! When's the wedding?"

"July 18th, you're more than welcome to attend, although Oliver still has no idea where we should have it"

"Okay, location can be arranged easily but what about the dress? Do you have something picked out?"

"Yeah, Thea's been helping out with it for the past few weeks"

"And has Oliver seen it?"

"Not yet, and I was thinking about adding something to it"

"And what's that?"

"I have something back in Nanda Parbat hiding with my painted rocks that I always wanted to wear on my wedding day. When I was sixteen, I went out on one of my first extractions and one of the women we saved offered it to me as thanks and said that when I found the one I love, to wear it on the wedding day. She said it brought good fortune to the bride and groom"

"Do you believe in said fortune?"

"Not entirely, but I still want to wear it"

"Are you going to tell me what it is?"

"I wasn't planning on it. You'll just have to see at the wedding" Nyssa started "So since I never got the chance to ask you earlier, would you like to be one of my bridesmaids?"

"Yes! Yes I'd love to!" Elena said with a small jump "Who else is going to be a bridesmaid?"

"I just asked Thea, Lenora, and now you"

"A small group, good choice! Does Oliver have his groomsmen picked out?"

"I believe he has chosen Dig, Roy, and Rene"

"Roy? I thought you said he left"

"He did. Roy's been in Hub City under a new name but when he heard about the wedding, he decided to pop into town and attend, then Oliver asked him to be a groomsman"

"Ooh, Thea's going to be super happy, isn't she?"

"Yeah, but she's dating someone else right now and I believe Roy is as well. I doubt either of them will get mad, seeing as how last time Roy was in town, he told Thea to find a nice man and she told him to find a nice lady and get a minivan together"

"Aww, that's sweet but I still think they're going to end up together"

"I don't doubt you. I think it's quite possible" Nyssa laughed "Anyway, my presence was requested for something regarding the Italy mission so I should get going"

"Alright then, I'll be here! Try to come by tomorrow around six league time! We are going to look into wedding locations!"

"Okay, but Oliver requested that he and Dig take care of that" Nyssa said as she started walking away

"That's okay, but we can still look into places"

"Right, night Elena"

"Night Nyssa!"

-(=+=)-

"Hey Dad! What's for dinner tonight?" William asked as he strolled into the kitchen after setting his back pack down

"I was thinking about making French toast, does that sound good to you?" Oliver asked from behind the counter

"French toast for dinner! Heck yeah! Want me to start the batter?"

"Sure, you know where the things are"

"So where's Nyssa?"

"She needed to stop by the league and check in. She should be back within the next few minutes"

"When can we go over to Finiks Jurf again?"

"I'm not sure, but it will probably be after the wedding"

"Dang, I want to train with Namir and Kaida again. That was actually really fun"

"I still can't believe you want to learn to fight with a battle axe. I feel a bit betrayed you didn't pick a bow or sword" Oliver laughed

"Well you use a bow, Nyssa uses the sword, and I wanted to be original. Plus, I'm really good with a bo staff!"

"Speaking of which, where did you put your bo staff?"

"I left it down in the bunker last night. I thought I would be training today or tomorrow so I didn't see the point in bringing it back"

"True"

"So when can I go out on the field with you guys?"

"When you turn seventeen and your training is complete, then you can come out on the field"

"And do I get to use my league name as my code name?"

"Uh, sure, but you'll probably just be called Wolf since Al Dhiyb is a tad too long"

"How is Al Dhiyb long and Green Arrow isn't?"

"Katara has just been calling me Green or Arrow and sometimes Greenie but yeah, I see your point"

Before William could reply, a warm rush of air blew through the house, then disappeared. There was a small, orange glow coming from the roof that broke through the glass windows.

"Nyssa's home!" William said as he scampered off towards the balcony in Oliver and Nyssa's room

William ran into the bedroom followed by Oliver. The boy opened the glass French doors to the balcony and looked up towards the roof.

"Hi Nyssa!" William called into the darkness when he saw a hooded figure on the roof

He could tell that the figure smiled back to him, then she jumped down from the roof and landed on the balcony next to William

"Hey William! How was your day?" Nyssa asked as she took off her hood and veil, then followed William inside

"Pretty good! I got to spend the day with Tom and Jasper so we went down to the forest and did random things down there" William started "So what did you do up in Finiks Jurf?"

"Just the normal things, couple matches, mission evaluation, and planning a few more extractions" Nyssa replied, then walked over to Oliver "And how has your hour been?"

"Productive" Oliver started "Hey William, can you go check on the toast and make sure it didn't burn?"

"Sure thing!" William said as he scampered off towards the kitchen

"Now that I have you alone" Oliver said with a smirk.

Oliver reached towards Nyssa and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. Now that she was closer, Nyssa wrapped her arms around Oliver's shoulders and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

"Is that what you wanted?" Nyssa asked when they pulled away

"You know me too well" Oliver chuckled as he leaned into to kiss her again

"Hey dad! The toast is ready!" William called from the kitchen

"I'll get changed and meet you in there" Nyssa said.

Oliver pulled her into one last kiss, then let go of her waist so she could get changed. He walked out of the room to meet up with William, before something burned, then Nyssa walked over to the small table where she kept her armor and other set of clothes. After getting changed, Nyssa walked into the kitchen and saw Oliver flipping a piece of toast while William dumped a bunch of syrup on his.

"French toast for dinner? Must be a special occasion" Nyssa stated as she took out a few more plates from the cupboard

"Nope, we just felt like having breakfast again" William laughed "Do you think there's enough syrup on this?"

"Not at all, you can never have too much syrup" Nyssa laughed "But he may disagree"

"I'm sorry, I just don't like syrup in the way you two do" Oliver smiled as he turned around with two more plates of French toast. "So anything special going on in Finiks Jurf?"

"Not really. Just some more missions and extractions. There's a big one coming up down in Italy so that's kind of neat. Elena did return from Athens though" Nyssa replied

"And where you able to ask her?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, she was actually really happy to do it! She can't wait to meet everyone"

"Who said what?" William asked with a mouth full of pancakes

"Elena agreed to be Nyssa's third bridesmaid" Oliver explain

"That's nice, but who's Elena?" William asked

"She's a really close friend in the league. Don't worry, you'll like her" Nyssa reassured

"What's her weapon of choice?" William asked in a serious tone

"She's quite advanced with dual blades" Nyssa replied "Why do you ask?"

"Because it sounds like I could have some fun sparring with her when she comes to Star City" William replied "Anyway, all my friends and I have been putting together an overnighter camping trip together. Jasper invited me and Tom out to the forest with his dad. I asked if Kaida could come along too, since she tends to hang around with us now a days and she's in. Can I go with them?"

"I don't see why not. When are you heading out?" Oliver asked

"Tomorrow morning I'm supposed to meet everyone in the park by the fountain" William replied

"Well then, you should start packing your bags. Don't want to be late tomorrow, right?" Oliver asked

"Really?" William asked excitedly "Thanks dad!"

William quickly took care of his dishes, then ran off to his room to pack a small bag with the things he would need, leaving Oliver and Nyssa together in the kitchen.

"So, anything super special going on at the office tomorrow?" Nyssa asked

"Not really, in fact, I was hoping to take you out and show you something" Oliver replied

"Well you're not the only one who needs to show the other something" Nyssa started "I was planning on going to Nanda Parbat tomorrow. Would you like to come?"

"What's in Nanda Parbat?"

"Just a little something for the wedding" Nyssa smiled "Does your little outing have to do with the wedding as well?"

"Yeah, it does"

"Alright then! Tomorrow we can take a few hours to attend to each wedding related thing. Is that alright with you?"

"Only if I get to be with you" Oliver smirked as he leaned over and kissed her

"And we both know that's going to happen" Nyssa smiled when they pulled away

"I love you so much"

"I love you too"

"Okay! I think I've got everything I need for tomorrow. Can I go play online with Tom until bed?" William asked as he set a backpack by the front door

"I don't see why not if you've got everything ready for tomorrow" Oliver replied

"Thanks Dad!" William said as he quickly walked back to his room

"I need to go finish up a few things for the office before we leave tomorrow. Are you going to be fine here?" Oliver asked

"You ask as if I have nothing to do" Nyssa smirked "But yeah, I got some things I need to finish for the league"

"What kind of things?"

"Research into some targets and such. Nothing big"

"Alright then, would you like to join me in the office?"

"Sure"

-(=+=)-

"Hey William? C'mon buddy, you're going to be late if you don't wake up" Oliver said as he shook William's shoulder

"No...too early" William groaned

"Didn't you have to be at the park by ten? Because it's nine fifteen already"

"Oh shoot!" William said as he sprung out of bed and ran into his bathroom"Thanks Dad!"

Oliver couldn't help but laugh as he walked out of his son's room and back into his own bedroom, where he saw Nyssa sitting on the edge of the bed writing something in a leather notebook.

"Whatcha writing?" Oliver asked as climbed on the bed and sat behind Nyssa, then wrapped his arms around her shoulders

"Just something for the league, I can take it to Elena later today" Nyssa replied

"You're writing it in Greek so I can't read it, aren't you?" Oliver asked with a small laugh

"No, I've got nothing to hide from you beloved. Greek is just Elena's first language and not many people can read it in the league"

"So it's important then?"

"Quite, it's recon to help the assassins going to Italy in the morning, that is, in Norwegian time"

"Well then you don't have to deliver that until later in the evening, right?" Oliver asked, receiving a nod from Nyssa. "Okay then, so after William gets dropped off, we can go take care of those things we were talking about last night"

"I'm assuming yours comes first"

"That might be easier, considering that it's not on the other side of the world"

"True, so where are we going exactly?"

"It's a surprise" Oliver said as he pulled Nyssa's shoulders back, making her fall back into his lap. "Is that alright with you?"

"Perfect" Nyssa smiled as she looked up into Oliver's cobalt blue eyes. They were still so beautiful, even from her angle upside down

"Alright then, why don't we get ready so we don't hold William up. After dropping him off, we can head to the first location"

"Sounds like a plan" Nyssa said as she sat up

Both of them got up from the bed and got changed into some more appropriate clothing for going out into the city. Once they were both ready, Oliver went into his office to get a couple things for later on while Nyssa went into her bag to find something. She found what she was looking for, then went to find William.

"William? Are you in here?" Nyssa called as she gave the door frame to William's room a light knock

"Yeah! Right here" William called as he walked out of the bathroom "Morning Nyssa!"

"Hey, are you almost ready to go?"

"Yup, I was just getting the last few things I need for the night. In fact, I think I got it all" William said as he started walking towards the door

"Hold on just a second William" Nyssa said as she turned around to face William

"Something wrong?" William asked as he turned around to face her

"Do you have a knife with you?"

"Uh, no…? Why do I need a knife?" William asked. It was normal for Oliver to ask him if he knew what to do if someone tried to jump him, but he had never asked him about having a knife with him.

"I have some experience with the forest you're camping out in. Just in case something goes wrong, I want you to keep this with you" Nyssa said as she pulled out a switchblade from her belt

"Are you sure? Dad won't let me carry a knife on me"

"Don't worry about a thing. He'll understand why I gave that to you" Nyssa started "You know how and when to use that, right?"

"If I need to cut something and there isn't another option or if there is a suspicious figure that could threaten me or someone else"

"Good, you're all set. We best get going before you run late"

"Don't you and Dad have something you're doing too?"

"Yeah, but we can't run late where we're going"

"Okay then! Let's get going before I run so late that you guys run late" William said as he hid the switchblade in his coat, then walked out of the bedroom with Nyssa

"Hey you two, are you ready to go?" Oliver asked when he saw them walk out of the bedroom

"Yeah, let me get something before we leave" Nyssa said as she ran back into her and Oliver's bedroom. "I'll meet you guys outside"

William and Oliver both grabbed their bags and walked outside. When they both got on the sidewalk, they only had to wait about ten seconds before Nyssa showed up behind them with her side bag.

"Are we all set?" Oliver asked as Nyssa when she was at his side, who gave a nod

The three of them walked down the street where the car was parked and climbed in. It was about a four minute drive down to the park and when they got out, they all saw a small group of teenagers. One of them with brown hair saw William and came over.

"Hey William! You ready to go?" Jasper asked as he walked over to greet his friend

"Yeah, is everyone else here?"

"Kaida and Tom are over there climbing that tree while their parents talk about stuff, wanna come with us?" Jasper said as he pointed over to a large tree

"Sure!"

William and Jasper ran over to the tree that Tom and Kaida were climbing. Oliver and Nyssa walked over to the small circle of adults which consisted of Tom's dad and Jinja.

"Good morning Oliver, Nyssa. How are you doing this morning?" Tom's father, Max, asked

"Quite well Max, and you?" Oliver asked

"Good thanks" Max started "So Tom and I were planning on going into the forest in the LD, camping out tonight, then coming back in the evening. We can just drop him off at the penthouse if that works with you"

"That's fine with us. Thank you for inviting him out"

"No problem at all. I think they'll all have fun out there. When Tom said he wanted to invite Kaida too, I didn't think she would accept but I'm glad to see she did. Those four make an excellent group"

"Just wait till school picks up again. It will be interesting seeing how all of this plays out" Oliver said with a small laugh

"That will be interesting" Max laughed, then turned to Jinja "This is Kaida's first year in Star City, correct?"

"Yes, but I have no doubt that she'll fit in just fine. She was really excited about getting to start fresh here" Jinja replied with a smile

"Good to hear" Max started "Anyway, we should get going so we have enough time to go hunting before it gets dark out"

"Okay then, we'll see you Wednesday night then?" Oliver asked

"Correct, see you then" Max said as he walked over to the tree where the four teens were climbing

"So how's Star City so far?" Nyssa asked Jinja when Max was out of earshot

"Beautiful. Thank you so much for all the help you've given me and Kaida with the move" Jinja replied

"No problem, we just want to see you two happy" Nyssa said with a smile

"Well thank you. I've actually got a coffee date with some neighbors so I best get going" Jinja said as she turned to leave "Good seeing you here"

"You as well, have fun!" Nyssa called out to her then turned towards Oliver "So now where are we going?"

"You'll have to find out" Oliver said with a smile as he reached down and took Nyssa's hand, locking his fingers in hers

Oliver and Nyssa walked to the edge of the park where their car was parked and climbed inside. Once they were both inside, Oliver drove down some older streets until they were out of Star City. They drove about twenty minutes into the country until they finally came to a stop near a black gate. Oliver sprung out of the car first and walked around to the passenger's side where Nyssa was already outside.

"Before we go any further, I need you to put this on" Oliver said as he pulled out a blindfold from his sweater pocket

"Alright…you really want this to be a surprise, don't you?" Nyssa asked as Oliver walked behind her and tied the blindfold

"I do" Oliver laughed once the blindfold was tied, then took Nyssa's hands into his own "Do you trust me?"

"That's quite an odd question for you to be asking, especially when you know the answer" Nyssa laughed

"Okay then, just follow the sound of my voice"

Oliver led Nyssa through the gates and up a series of stone stairs. She was led up several series of stairs, through pathways, and even a small tunnel until they stopped. Nyssa could hear the faint sound of water and felt the warm sunlight, but had no clue where Oliver took her.

"Are you ready?" Oliver asked as he stepped behind Nyssa and put his hands on the blindfold

"Ready as I'll ever be" Nyssa replied

"Okay then" Oliver said as he untied the blindfold and slowly removed "Welcome to Amanoniwa"

Oliver removed the blindfold from Nyssa eyes and it took her a moment to readjust to the bright, morning light. When she could finally see, Nyssa's eyes lit up when she saw where Oliver had brought her.

Amanoniwa definitely lived up to its name (It means celestial garden in Japanese). Bright, pink cherry blossoms lined the cobble pathways that spread out all over the garden. There were several areas of grass and colorful plants. In the middle of the garden was a large koi pond with hidden waterfalls and a wooden bridge branching across.

"Wow…How did you find this place?" Nyssa asked as a smile grew across her face

"Dig helped me find it and you mentioned something about a Japanese garden that you visited when the League of Assassins was still a thing. Once I found this place, I knew it would be perfect for the wedding" Oliver replied "So what do you think?"

"Is this smile not enough to tell you?" Nyssa laughed "It's perfect!"

"Well I'm glad I didn't mess this up" Oliver laughed

"Elena would have made sure you wouldn't. She asked me to return to Finiks Jurf with you if you still hadn't found something after two more days"

"To make sure this is the perfect place, would you like to take a walk around the garden?"

"Of course"

Nyssa and Oliver walked around the garden for the better part of the next hour and pointed out where they should set up the reception and the ceremony. A lot of progress had been made by the time they arrived at the gate again.

"So now we're going to Nanda Parbat?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, we can leave the car and go straight there if you'd like" Nyssa replied

"Fine by me. There's a field just over there where we can leave"

"Alright, just hold on one sec" Nyssa said

It was rather convenient that Nyssa had brought her side bag with her, containing all her armor including her sword, bow and quiver. How she was able to fit it in that bag was beyond Oliver, but she pulled it off. Less than two minutes later, Nyssa was dressed in her black and gold armor and had the circlet on her head.

"So where's this field?" Nyssa asked as she swung the bag back over her shoulder

"Just up here, follow me"

Oliver led Nyssa up a small hill and they arrived at place where Nyssa could safely call the phoenix without something catching on fire. Oliver took a few steps back as Nyssa created the ring of fire around her that turned into the famous phoenix. Nyssa walked back over to Oliver and the phoenix started to circle around them. The blinding light came and the warm air rushed over them. Oliver opened his eyes and saw that they were just outside the main entrance to Nanda Parbat in the middle of the night.

"Abandoned…that's something I thought I'd never see" Nyssa muttered as she started walking towards the entrance

All the assassins that served her and Ra's after Nyssa disbanded the league had left. They now resided in Finiks Jurf, leaving the castle hidden in the mountains.

"This may come as a surprise, but I still have no idea where we're going so you might as well lead the way" Oliver laughed

"Don't worry, I wouldn't let us get lost if you did lead the way" Nyssa laughed

The two of them walked into the stone castle and rounded several corners. After navigating around the fortress for a few minutes, Nyssa stopped at a door to a bedroom. She tried to push it open, but the door was locked

"Locked?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, don't worry about it though" Nyssa replied as she walked over to one of the torches on the wall.

Without hesitation, Nyssa used a small spark of white fire to burn off a thin piece of metal. She walked back to the door and stuck it into the lock. After a few seconds of moving it around, the door let out a click.

"Wow, you're good at picking locks" Oliver complimented as Nyssa threw the piece of metal on the ground

"Thanks, years of practice goes a long way" Nyssa replied

Nyssa pushed the large door open and walked inside. Inside the room was a small bed, a desk, and a few bookshelves. Oliver figured this wasn't a guest room because there wasn't a canopy over the bed like there was in the room he stayed in almost four years ago.

Nyssa went over to the side of the bed and got down on her stomach. She reached under the bed and felt a small latch. Nyssa pulled the latch and a small click could be heard from where Oliver was standing. Nyssa stood back up with a dark red box in her hands. She walked over to the desk and set the box down.

"Do you need to pick the lock on that box as well?" Oliver asked as he stepped to Nyssa's side

"Nope, I can prepared" Nyssa replied as she pulled a small key on a chain out of her pocket.

She inserted the key into the small lock on the box and turned it. The locked clicked and Nyssa removed the key. She lifted the lid and showed Oliver what was inside

"Painted rocks? Is this what you were talking about back in Star City?" Oliver asked

"Yeah" Nyssa laughed "I told you I had some weird childhood tendencies"

"So I'm guessing this is your room then?"

"You guessed correctly"

Nyssa pulled out a few of the rocks in the box until they revealed a small synch pouch. She picked up the pouch and looked inside, confirming the contents.

"So is that what we came for?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, I'm guessing you want to see what we came to the other side of the world for?" Nyssa asked in reply

Oliver nodded and Nyssa smiled back at him. She reached her hand into the small pouch and pulled out a silver hair comb. It looked like a classic bridal comb you could buy in America, except for the small pink jewels scattered throughout.

"That's actually really nice. Where did you get that?" Oliver asked

"When I was sixteen, my father sent me on an extraction just south of here. We were supposed to kill off a group of men who took women and children hostage in an attempt to take over villages for the money. There was one woman that we saved, but she wasn't going to make it. She gave me this in thanks and said that when I found the person I love, to wear this on my wedding day, as it would bring good fortune to the couple."

"Well I'm glad you decided to honor her memory by wearing that"

"As am I" Nyssa started "So do you want to walk around here, see if there's anything that we could use back at the bunker"

"Sure, it wouldn't hurt to look"

Nyssa smiled back at her beloved, then placed the hair comb back in the red box and locked it. She put it into her side bag and led Oliver out of her old room.

"Are we going to hit the training rooms or arsenals first?" Oliver asked as he followed close behind his beloved

"I want to see something first…"

Nyssa walked down a long hallway until she reached a large door with metal spikes on it. The door was unlocked so Nyssa pushed it open without any trouble. The first thing Oliver realized when he walked inside was that this was where the once legendary Lazarus pit stood. Nyssa walked forward towards the pit and Oliver was able to catch the hesitation in her step.

"Never thought I'd see the day…" Nyssa started as she looked down into the pit "When the pit would run dry…"

Without another word, Nyssa walked up the small set of stone steps and jumped down into the dry pit. It wasn't deep at all in fact, it was only two feet at the most.

"What are you doing exactly?" Oliver asked as he got up on the steps on the side of the pit

"The water from this pit wasn't just created and I read about how it gained it's healing properties" Nyssa started as she knelt down and ran her hand along the side walls of the pit "There's said to be a stone of sorts that gives the water it's abilities once it comes in contact with it. I was hoping to find the stone and bring it back to Finiks Jurf so the science division can find a way to recreate it in a more….passive form"

"Any specifics on what the stone looks like?"

"It said I'd know when I found it. I don't even think my father knew where it was"

Nyssa ran her hand along the sides until she reached the area where the water came out of the wall. The other stones that lined the pit had a rough exterior, but this one had a smooth one. Nyssa felt around until she found the smooth stone again and wrapped her hand around it. She tightened her grasp and with one swift tug, the stone came loose from its position and was removed.

"I think I found it" Nyssa said as she held up the stone for Oliver to see

The stone was surprisingly normal looking. It looked like a normal rock, except for it's almost perfect, oval shape. On one side of the flat oval, there was something that looked like an amber engraving of the league's symbol, but Oliver quickly realized that the stone was pure amber and that the greyness was just an outer covering.

"That looks too nice to be the league's secret weapon" Oliver laughed as he offered Nyssa a hand out of the pit

"Don't let the looks deceive you" Nyssa warned as she took Oliver's hand

"How can I when you're standing here in front of me?"

"I suppose that's true" Nyssa smirked as she pulled Oliver into a kiss

The two of them pulled back slowly and stared longingly into each other's eyes.

"How about we speed this up and get home" Oliver whispered with a smirk

"I'd love nothing more" Nyssa smiled

The couple jumped down from the stone steps on the side of the pit and started walking towards the door. Right when Nyssa walked through the doorway, there was an instant throbbing in her head. Almost like a memory, an image of darkness and light ran into each other, creating a catastrophic explosion. She winced slightly when the explosion went off, grabbing Oliver's attention.

"Nyssa? Are you alright?"

"Um, yeah…just a headache. I'm fine"

"Alright then"

The two of them went around to the different training rooms and gathered some things they might find useful back at the bunker, including some bo staffs, extra swords, some bows, and even a few sets of throwing stars. Thankfully, there were some duffle bags that they could use to carry all the equipment.

Once everything was gathered, Nyssa led Oliver back outside the stone fortress. She started to create the ring of fire when the throbbing returned. The memory flash of the explosion took place before her eyes, but this time, the darkness grew in size slightly. The explosion went off again, but this time, the light that came from it was slightly darker.

Trying to ignore that, Nyssa created the phoenix and directed it to take her and Oliver back to Amanoniwa. The familiar blinding light forced the two to shut their eyes and the rush of warm air told them that they were back in Star City.

Once they were back on familiar ground, Nyssa quickly took off her armor and put on the clothing she was wearing before they left for the league's old home. When Nyssa looked more like a normal person, she and Oliver walked down the hill and towards the gate that they had parked by. They both climbed back into the car and Oliver drove them back towards the penthouse.

When they got back to the complex where the penthouse was, Oliver quickly located the door and let Nyssa inside first. They both set down the bags they got from Nanda Parbat, then Oliver turned to face Nyssa.

"Now that we're home" Oliver said with a playful smirk

Within the blink of an eye, Oliver had Nyssa pinned up against the wall and his lips on hers. He moved his hands down to her waist and she moved hers to his shoulders. Oliver tried to make a move to take off Nyssa's shirt, but she stopped him

"Not in hallway" She said with a smirk

Oliver knew exactly what she meant and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his hips and he carried her over to their bedroom. Once inside, Oliver used his foot to shut the door behind him


	2. Balancing Light and Darkness

"That was a fun way to spend the afternoon" Nyssa laughed as she stared up at the ceiling

"Yeah, we should send William out of the house more often" Oliver replied, also laughing

Nyssa and Oliver continued the small talk until Nyssa glanced over and saw the clock.

"Shoot, I need to get going" Nyssa said as she sat up

"What's the hurry?" Oliver asked as he sat up too

"I need to get that notebook to Elena before she leaves for Italy"

"Right, its eight here which means in five in the morning over there"

"Now you're catching on" Nyssa said as she swung her legs to the side of the bed "God the floor's cold"

"One of the many perks of having a wooden floor throughout the entire house" Oliver laughed

Despite her cold feet, Nyssa reached for her long cardigan and threw it on so she could walk across the room without freezing her ass off.

"So you're running the notebook to Finiks Jurf?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, I can be back within the next ten minutes or so" Nyssa said as she threw her sword sheath over her back

"Well why don't I come with you and we can go for a ride afterwards?"

"That sounds like a fun idea. Do you want to ride Charisma again?"

"Sure, I was hoping for a more manly horse but I actually really like her"

"Aww, you like the pretty white pony" Nyssa teased

"Yeah, I like the pretty pony" Oliver laughed as he threw on his pants and a tee shirt

"Warning, it may be summer up in Finiks Jurf, but it's still cold as hell so you might want to wear a coat"

"And what about you? You're just dressed in that armor"

"I told you, I can create a small flame and if need be, I can run back to my room and grab that coat that William really liked"

"Okay then"

Oliver slipped on one of his thicker hoodies and while he was doing that, Nyssa was getting her side bag. She took out the other set of clothes she had in there and replaced it with the notebook. Nyssa kept the Lazarus pit stone in there so she could deliver it to the science division so they could reverse it. Once the two of them were ready, they climbed up a ladder on the side of their balcony that lead to the top of the roof.

It was eight thirty at night and there was only a bit of daylight left, but enough that Oliver and Nyssa could both see where they were going. Nyssa stepped in front of Oliver a bit, then called the phoenix down from the clouds.

"Are you ready to go beloved?" Nyssa asked as she reached her hand out to the giant, fiery bird in front of her

"Yeah, just never got the hang of this teleportation thing…" Oliver laughed as he took his place next to Nyssa

"There's nothing to worry about, I won't-" Nyssa started, but then the strange throbbing returned

"Nyssa? Are you alright?" Oliver asked as he grabbed a hold of Nyssa's shoulders to hold her in place "Hey, look at me"

Nyssa snapped out of the daze she was in when Oliver gave her a light shake. Once again, the 'memory' of the darkness and light crashing together came up again, and this time, the darkness had increased in size again. It was now bigger than when they left Nanda Parbat and the explosion was darker

"I-I'm fine" Nyssa replied suddenly while blinking several times

"That's what you said in Nanda Parbat. Are you sick?"

"I don't get sick beloved. You know that"

"Just checking" Oliver said as he raised his arms in defeat

Nyssa turned back towards the phoenix and gave it a nod. The fiery beast leapt up into the air and started to circle the couple. The familiar blinding light and warm rush of air let them know that they had arrived at the destination; the entrance hall

"Watching that phoenix makes me dizzy, how about you?" Oliver laughed as they started walking towards the air strip

"I just try to look down at the ground or just straight ahead. It usually helps, but don't be surprised if you lose your lunch one of these days" Nyssa teased

"How have you not in the past six months since you've been able to do that?"

"I try not to eat, then pray for the best"

"Sounds reasonable"

Oliver and Nyssa both arrived at the run way much quicker than expected. There was a small extraction plane in the middle and a group of about ten assassins, including Elena. She heard footsteps and quickly whirled around to see Oliver and Nyssa

"Hey, you came back! Is this a goodbye and have good luck or do you need help with the wedding location?" Elena asked with a small laugh

"Don't worry, I found a location" Oliver laughed

"Yeah, that's taken care of but I wanted to give you this" Nyssa said as she reached into her side bag

When reaching for the leather notebook, Nyssa's hand grazed the Lazarus stone and she felt that throbbing again. This time, she was able to keep it hidden so Oliver wouldn't freak out.

"Nice, is this the intel you were talking about the other day?" Elena asked as she started flipping through the pages "kai to grápsate sta elliniká (And you wrote it in Greek)"

"skéftike óti boreí na eínai chrísimo eán tha boroúsate na diavásete stin próti sas glóssa (Thought it would be helpful if you could read in your first language)" Nyssa said with a smile

"Thank you, this will definitely help" Elena said. She was about to say something when the pilot of the plane walked behind her and delivered some news

"My apologizes miss, but the engines on the plane have failed in our test. We've located the problem but we won't be able to take off for another seven hours" The pilot reported

"Shoot, that means we're going to miss our first mark…" Elena muttered in a slightly agitated tone. "I don't care what you do, just work to get that plane off the ground in the next few hours"

"What about the other planes?" Oliver asked

"They're all in use and we can't take the commercial because it's much too large to come in subtly" Elena replied, then turned to Nyssa when you could practically see the light bulb go on above her head "Nyssa, I know this is a lot to ask, but can you call the Phoenix and get us to Italy?"

Nyssa was hesitant at first, seeing that the Lazarus stone may do something uncalled for, but then realized that she could just get this over with and then get it to the science division.

"Yeah, I can do that" Nyssa replied

"All of you, grab the supplies for the extraction and round up over here!" Elena instructed

The other assassins that were accompanying Elena did as instructed and came back with one duffle bag each. They took their places where Elena instructed and waited.

"Thank you so much for doing this" Elena said as she pulled Nyssa into a hug

"No problem, I just want to see you successful" Nyssa replied as they pulled away "Good luck out there"

"I don't need luck, I'm a phoenix assassin" Elena laughed as she took her place next to the assassins, waiting for the phoenix to take them to their first destination

Nyssa smiled back at Elena then created the ring of fire. The throbbing returned but she did the best to ignore it. The phoenix was created and it darted towards the ten assassins. As soon as it started circling them, the memory returned. This time, it was devastating. The once equally balanced darkness and light became nonexistent when the darkness was so much larger than the light, the light looked like a breadcrumb compared to the black mist. The two of them collided, but the light was gone too quickly. The once golden and balanced explosion was now completely black and quite frankly, it terrified Nyssa.

When the 'memory' had ended, Nyssa blinked her eyes a few times and saw that the phoenix was still circling around the assassins. Everything was going well until the tail of the phoenix started to turn black like the dark mist in the memory. The climbed up the tail of the phoenix and soon, there was a loud screech that echoed through the air when the phoenix was covered. The once orange and red beast was an eerie black and broke away from the circling. It flew up into the air and looked down at Nyssa. The beast towered over her and she couldn't control it anymore.

Without hesitation, the phoenix shot down form the air and straight towards Nyssa. On instinct, she created a small barrier with light, but it wasn't enough to stop the dark phoenix. The giant bird came crashing down on her and engulfed her in darkness. Nyssa tried to create a small light inside so she could see, but wasn't having any luck.

Sooner than expected, the dark phoenix faded from the air and left Nyssa standing on the air strip.

"What the hell just happened?" Elena asked as she started walking towards Nyssa

"I…don't…" Nyssa started but then a wave of darkness came over her, causing her to fall down to the ground

"Nyssa!" Oliver cried out as he ran over to her.

He immediately pulled her head into his lap and tried to wake her up, but wasn't having any luck.

"Elena, you're more experienced in this area! Tell me what's going on!" Oliver demanded, slightly terrified

"Lean her to the right" Elena instructed as she knelt down next to them

Oliver did as instructed and Elena pulled Nyssa's sword from the sheath on her back. As soon as it was in the air, Elena understood everything that was happening. It was all given away by the now black tipped silver blade

"Nyssa figured this would happen sooner or later. Fayiz warned her about it" Elena said as she started to get up "Go find Ishaq and Zayn! Tell them to get their asses up here with two bowls of eternal water!"

"Elena, what's going on?!" Oliver asked frantically as he watched six assassins run off the airstrip to find the people Elena instructed

"Fayiz told Nyssa that at some point or another that a darkness would come after her since she created the eternal waters. My guess is that stone is the cause" Elena replied as she slowly took off Nyssa's side bag and looked inside "In fact, that's exactly what I think it is"

"You're saying that the Lazarus stone is going after Nyssa because she created the eternal waters?"

Elena gave a nod before continuing "Think about it this way, the Lazarus pit waters are like the devil while the eternal waters are like the angel. The devil gives you things but only so he can take them away. The angel just gives without expecting anything in return. The two waters oppose each other"

"So if someone else pulled the stone from the Lazarus pit…would Nyssa be okay?"

"Nope, quite the opposite in fact. That person would die instantly because they don't have a light to shield them from the darkness, like Nyssa. Over the last few hours, the darkness has been chipping away at the light until it finally broke through"

"Are you saying that she's dead?!"

"No, we can save her. She just needs that light back and that stone needs to be destroyed"

"And that can be done with the eternal water?"

Elena gave a nod and smiled. "She'll be okay Oliver"

The six assassins that Elena had sent out to find Ishaq and Zayn returned with the two of them. Each of them had a small bowl of the eternal water, like Elena had instructed.

"Elena? What's going on?!" Zayn demanded as he and Ishaq knelt down on the ground on Nyssa's side so they were across from Elena.

"Lazarus pit stone is screwing with balance. Hand me one of those bowls" Elena demanded as she stuck her hand out

Ishaq gave Elena his bowl and she set it down on the ground next to her. She took Nyssa's sword and held it a couple inches from the ground, then poured the water over the blade. The darkness that had taken over the silver blade's tip quickly vanished, as if it flowed away with the water.

When all the water had left the bowl and the blade was back to its normal silver, Nyssa started stirring slightly.

"See Oliver, she's going to be fine" Elena said with a small smile

"What about the other bowl of water, what's that for?" Oliver asked

"For this" Elena said as she opened Nyssa's side bag.

Instead of just reaching in there and grabbing the stone, Elena used the empty bowl to scoop up it up. When the Lazarus stone was exposed to the air, it was easy to see that the once amber engraving had turned into a jet black. Elena took the last bowl of water and put the Lazarus stone inside of it. There was a hissing sound as the darkness from the stone dissolved in the crystal clear water. Soon enough, the darkness and amber had been erased completely, making the Lazarus stone a normal stone that could be good for skipping down by the lake.

Elena turned back towards Nyssa and watched as her eyes slowly started to open. Her head was still in Oliver's lap so she could see Elena, Ishaq, Zayn, and a group of other assassins all standing around her watching.

"What's going on….where the hell am I…?" Nyssa asked weakly as she tried to get up, but felt a searing pain in her back, causing her to stay down

"You're on the runway and the Lazarus stone, it took over but we're glad to have you back" Elena said with a smile as she took Nyssa's hand into her own. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got hit by a truck…" Nyssa laughed weakly

Elena continued giving the assassins directions and also talked with Oliver. Nyssa just watched and listened, but was trying to fight back from passing out again. Oliver looked down and noticed that Nyssa was trying to stay awake, so he put his arm by the side of her head to give it a bit of support

"It's alright, you're going to be fine" He whispered in an attempt to comfort her

Nyssa gave a weak smile and rested her head against his arm. Within the next minute, she was out cold again.

When Nyssa was out again, Oliver looked up and saw Elena dismissing Ishaq and Zayn. The other assassins that were going to accompany her to Italy were instructed to assist the pilot in getting the plane prepped for takeoff while she went with Oliver. The assassins all nodded and walked off towards the plane to give a hand.

"There's an extraction plane that should be here in around four hours. If you get on it when it gets here, you should be able to get home at around four in the evening, that's in Star City time" Elena reported

"Okay, that works perfectly. William should be getting home from his camping trip at around six" Oliver replied

"Until it's time for you guys to leave, I can show you to Nyssa's room where she can rest. You're more than welcome to stay up there if you'd like"

"That would work well, thank you Elena" Oliver said with a small smile

Elena picked up Nyssa's sword and side bag while Oliver gently lifted her from the ground and carried her down the stairs bridal style. The two of them walked to the main hall and up some stair cases until they reached a hallway with several rooms. Oliver assumed they belonged to the 'officials' of the league since Elena's room was right across from Nyssa's.

Elena opened the door to the bedroom and let Oliver inside first. The room was quite large. There was a queen sized bed on one wall and a fireplace nearby. There was also a desk, some shelves, and a small sitting area. Oliver noticed that there were two pieces of a broken sword mounted on the wall and he quickly realized who the owner was of the pieces; Ra's.

"How did Nyssa get those sword pieces?" Oliver asked

"Fayiz helped her apparently. She came back from training some rookies and said she found those lying on her bed with a small jewel made up of purples, blues, and pinks all blended together. It was the symbol of the bridge" Elena replied as she set Nyssa's sword and bag on a chair

"I'll need to meet Fayiz sometime. He sounds like a nice guy"

"I can guarantee that you will at some point or another" Elena laughed slightly

"Well I hope it's not when I'm dead…that would suck" Oliver replied with a laugh

"I suppose so" Elena started as she started walking towards the door "Anyway, I need to go get the Italy extraction set up again so you should stay here with her"

"Okay, thank you…for everything"

"No problem, Nyssa's like a sister and I would do anything for her"

Elena quietly walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind her, leaving Oliver alone with Nyssa, who was still in his arms. Oliver carefully walked over to the edge of the bed and laid Nyssa down so she was flat on her back. Oliver pulled up a chair from across the room and sat down at her side, taking her hand into his own. Hers were surprisingly cold, but the warmth was slowly returning to them as time passed.

Around an hour passed before there was a small knock on the door. Oliver turned towards the door and saw a woman walk inside that he recognized as the priestess that married them back in Nanda Parbat.

"I heard what happened. How is she doing?" The priestess asked as she stepped to Oliver's side

"Better. She was just really confused when she woke up" Oliver replied

"Good to hear…" The priestess started "I came here to check up with the spiritual side of what happened. Do you mind?"

"Not at all, I just want her to be alright" Oliver said as he scooted his chair so the priestess could move closer. "Might I ask what your name is?"

"Nazaria" The priestess replied as she took hold of Nyssa's wrist

"Well Nazaria, may I ask you a question?"

"I suppose so"

"When Nyssa collapsed, there wasn't anything wrong with her, but it was her sword. What does that mean exactly?"

"Nyssa's life is bonded with that sword, but not in the way where when the sword is destroyed, she will die. The sword is the source of her power, so when the darkness went after her power, it went after the sword since it would be known to you as the host" Nazaria explained "Where did you put her sword anyway?"

"Oh, it's right over there" Oliver said as he pointed towards a chair

Nazaria let go of Nyssa's wrist and walked over towards the sword. She picked it up and looked at the blade, which was back to the normal silver color. Oliver had never noticed till now, but there were nine diamonds in a circle on the hand guard. Two of them seemed to be glowing slightly, which made Nazaria smile a bit.

"She should wake up in a few hours. The light and darkness inside of her are finally balancing out" Nazaria reported

"How do you know?" Oliver asked

"There are nine diamonds on the sword that represent the nine powers. If there is an imbalance, they start glowing slightly, but die down after a while"

"What will happen when she wakes up?"

"She'll probably be a bit confused, but other than that, she'll be fine. I just advise that she not try anything regarding the powers or the sword for the next twenty four hours, just to be safe"

"Okay, thank you for stopping in"

"Not a problem at all, hope you have a safe flight back home" Nazaria smiled as she walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind her

Oliver turned back towards Nyssa and wrapped his hand around hers once more. He couldn't help but look at her and smile, remembering when he first realized he was making a mistake with Felicity…

-(=+=)-

 _Flashback- May 2016, Lian Yu_

"No! Adrian!" Oliver shouted out.

It was too late to negotiate. Adrian had raised a gun to his head and shot himself. Oliver starred at the dead man in disbelief, but he was interrupted by the sounds of explosions coming from the distance. He slowly turned around and saw columns of fiery smoke rising into the sky. The whole island was covered with the smoke and it soon spread into the air, blocking out any sunlight. The only light provided was the light from the countless fires on the island.

Oliver couldn't help but imagine what had become of his time, so he quickly threw Chase's body into the small room and sealed the door, so if by some 'miracle' he was alive, he couldn't escape. Once that was sealed, he drove the boat to the shore and what remained of the dock. Both he and William quickly tied up the boat and walked up on the burned land.

"Where's my mom…?" William asked as he looked around the fiery wasteland in a panic

"William, don't worry. I am going to go find your mom but the island, it's very dangerous and you are safest by the shore"

"But what happened?"

"The man who took you, the man who set off all the explosions, he did this"

"H-he said you're my father"

"I'm am going to go find your mother and make sure she's safe, I promise you but you have to stay here…okay?"

William gave a slight nod and Oliver got up from the ground and hurried into the scorched wasteland. He found Slade, who led him to Thea, who wasn't dead yet, but was nearing that fate. Samantha had also been found, but died quickly in Oliver's arms.

"Kid, I hate to say this but there are other people we need to find" Slade pointed out as he got up from Thea's side

"You're right, do you have any idea where the others are?" Oliver asked as he also got up

"The demon's daughter went off to find that girl in the cage, but I have no idea where the others-" Slade started, but they were stopped by the sound of gun shots

"C'mon, let's go!" Oliver shouted

Oliver and Slade both ran towards the sound of gun shots by crossing several hills and jumping over fires, but they soon came to a clearing in the burnt trees. Oliver saw that the cages had been burned down, but still intact. One of the cages had the door open and on the ground a couple feet away from it was Evelyn's body with a sword wound to the chest. Next to Evelyn was a pistol and a couple bullets.

Slade walked over to Evelyn and placed his fingers on the side of her neck

"Dead" Slade announced as he got up

"Look around for Nyssa, she should be here" Oliver demanded as he started jumping over patches of fire.

Slade and Oliver both parted ways and started searching the burnt ground for any signs of survivors. Oliver didn't have to go far before he heard the sound of footsteps. He quickly whipped around and saw Nyssa with an arrow aimed at his head, but was only standing on her right leg, making her balance a bit off.

"Oliver, sorry, I didn't know it was you" Nyssa said as she lowered her bow and put the arrow back in her quiver

"Nyssa, are you alright? What happened to your leg?" Oliver asked as he pulled her into his arms, then looked down at her leg

"Ms. Sharp survived the blasts in that cage, but when I came back here, she open fired on me and I was hit. I know you don't approve of my ways, but I had to kill her" Nyssa explained "How the hell did she get a gun in the first place?"

"You do what you have to in order to survive. I'm just glad you're okay, for the most part. As for the gun, I have absolutely no idea…" Oliver said "Why don't we get you back to the shore, get that fixed up, and head out to find more survivors?"

"Sounds like a plan" Nyssa said as she started limping towards the clearing

"Hold on a sec" Oliver said as he followed behind her.

Without hesitation, Oliver lifted her right arm over his shoulders to help her walk easier

"I'm not letting you hurt yourself" Oliver said as they started walking towards the clearing together

"Wow, you're acting like a true husband" Nyssa laughed

"Never thought I'd say this, but leave it to you to find the light in the situation"

"Don't worry, we'll find your team"

Oliver and Nyssa both arrived back in the clearing, where Slade was waiting for them

"Glad to see you're alright" Slade said with a small smile, which Nyssa returned "I'm going to go out and look for more survivors"

Slade turned around and started walking towards the area where the plane was to find the other members of the team while Oliver led Nyssa back to the shore. When they got there, William was leaning up against the boat with the medical supplies that Oliver had found and set aside. William caught a glimpse of his 'father' and ran over to him, thinking that he was bringing back his mother

"Did you find my mom?!" William yelled frantically as he ran towards the two figures

Oliver came into view and the sight broke William's heart. He wasn't coming back with his mother, but with some other woman dressed in red and black with a sword at her side and quiver on her back. Oliver continued walking towards William and the boat, then let Nyssa sit down on the edge.

"William, I'm so sorry…" Oliver started "Your mother….s-she didn't make it…."

William didn't know how to react other than bursting into tears. His mother had been there his entire life and he didn't know what to do without her with him. He felt truly alone for the first time in his life.

Nyssa saw that the boy was in distress and did the one thing that almost felt like an instinct; pull him closer. Nyssa wrapped her arm around the boy's shoulder to provide comfort and he responded by putting his head into her shoulder and crying.

Oliver's heart ached as he watched the young boy cry into Nyssa's shoulder. She held onto the boy and gently put her other hand on his back. William just buried his head deeper into her shoulder, but Oliver could still hear his muffled cries.

While Nyssa was comforting William, Oliver leaned into the boat and pulled out the bag of medical supplies that was set aside. He knelt down by Nyssa's leg and looked up to her. She gave him a nod telling him to just do it. Oliver looked back down at her leg and saw where the bullet had lodged itself. Oliver reached his hand into the bag and pulled out a small set of tweezers, which he used to pull the bullet out of Nyssa's leg. He quickly threw it to the side and proceeded to suture and wrap the wound. When he was finished, Nyssa was still holding on to William, but her leg had been fixed up.

"I'm going to go out and look for more survivors" Oliver announced as he put the medical supplies back in the bag "I've already contacted A.R.G.U.S and they will be here within the next few hours to help out"

"We should come with you. It's not a good idea to leave anyone alone, especially since my sister could still be here" Nyssa said as she looked up to Oliver

Oliver understood what Nyssa was saying and realized she was right. He also saw that William found comfort with Nyssa, probably because she was more of a motherly figure, so he went along with it.

"Okay then" Oliver said as he grabbed the bag of medical supplies and threw it over his back "We all go together"

Nyssa let go of William and they both stood up from the edge of the boat. At first, walking was a bit odd for Nyssa, but William had offered to give a hand and helped her keep up. William's tears were starting to dry up, but he was still heartbroken. As they walked, Nyssa did her best to comfort the boy and he responded quite well to it.

After around ten minutes of walking towards the plane, Oliver and Nyssa could hear faint sounds of voices in the distance. The three of them continued walking towards the area where the plane was and found Slade standing with Dig, Rene, Dinah, and Quentin.

"Glad to see you made it, Kid" Slade said when he saw the small group of three approaching

"What's the report?" Oliver asked

"No major injuries to these four; just cuts and bruises. Curtis was knocked unconscious and may have a broken arm while Felicity is over there with a broken leg" Slade replied

"Alright…Nyssa, do you have any experience with broken legs?" Oliver asked

"Quite a lot actually. I'll take care of Ms. Smoak while you attend to Mr. Holt" Nyssa replied, then turned to William "Could you help me out?"

"Sure, what do you need help with?" William asked as he looked over towards Nyssa

"Can you get some sort of wrap from Oliver?" Nyssa asked

William nodded and walked towards Oliver, who was already walking towards Curtis with Dig

"Oliver, do you have some sort of wrap she can use to set the leg?" William asked as he trailed behind

"Sure, here you are" Oliver replied as he reached into the bag and handed William two rolls of bandages.

Once William had those in hand, he ran back over to where Nyssa was and they both walked with Rene to where Felicity was. They only had to walk for about a minute before they saw her leaning up against a tree trunk. She saw Rene and a smile grew across her face, but then she saw Nyssa and it disappeared

"Blondie! You alright?" Rene asked as he knelt by her side

"Fine, just broke my leg and I can't move. You guys here to help with that?" Felicity asked

"Yeah, Nyssa was the only one here who knows how to set a broken leg so she's going to do it" Rene replied as he watched Nyssa kneel down by Felicity's right leg

It wasn't a bad break, in fact, Felicity could have easily walked to the others if she had tried, but Nyssa decided to keep her mouth shut. She looked around for a long stick or something else she could use in a splint, then remembered she had a quiver full of sticks on her back. Nyssa drew four arrows from her quiver and lined them up so the heads and fletching was all together.

"William, could you help me for a moment?" Nyssa asked

"What do you need me to do?" William asked as he walked over to Nyssa

"I need you to do a drop kick on these arrows" Nyssa said as she lined them all up so they could be broken easily

"Is it to make a splint?" William asked

"Correct, so we need to make sure that the shafts stay as long as possible" Nyssa started "Just pull your leg up, then bring your heel down right here and here"

After Nyssa had marked two places on the arrows, near the head and fletching, William did as he was asked. He brought his leg up and when it came crashing down, the fletching on the arrows broke off. Nyssa adjusted her grip on the arrows, then held them out again for another hit. William did the same but to the head, breaking the arrows so that only the shaft was left. They were pretty clean breaks, which made this a whole lot easier

Without wasting a second, Nyssa took one of the bandage rolls William had brought and wrapped it around Felicity's leg. When that was done, she took some medical tape that was included with the bandages and taped the four arrow shafts to the sides, front, and back of the leg so it would stay in place. Once they were tapped in place, Nyssa took the final bandage and wrapped it around the shafts tightly so they would fix the break on their own.

"There you go. Mr. Ramirez, can you give her a hand back to the group?" Nyssa asked as she got up from the ground

"Sure thing" Rene said as he offered Felicity a hand up from the ground

Felicity accepted Rene's hand and he helped her get back to the group. Nyssa and William followed behind, but kept some distance from them.

"How are you holding up?" Nyssa asked as they kept walking

"I'm not…I miss her…" William replied as he looked down at the ground

"I know what you're going through. Don't worry, it gets better as time goes on" Nyssa said as she wrapped her arm around William, instantly bringing him a comfort that his mother used to provide

"But what if it doesn't?"

"It won't get better unless you find some way to bring happiness back into your life. If you just sit there and try to tough it out, it will get worse"

"How do you know all this? Have you been through something like this?"

Nyssa was silent for a moment, but decided to let the boy in. After all, he just lost the one person who had been there his entire life

"A couple times actually…I lost my mother, then the woman I loved, and then I watched her come back from the dead but she was suffering. Later on that year, I lost my best friend and since then, I've been alone"

"So you haven't taken your own advice?"

"Not exactly…I took it, but my form of happiness is different than what you would think"

"Go ahead and tell me, it's not like there hasn't been enough crazy to make me not believe it"

"Okay then" Nyssa started "Most people find happiness with people they love, but since I was alone, I did what I loved most; fighting. I love getting out and fighting off those who want to harm others. Some call it the thrill of the chase but I like to think of it as helping those who can't help themselves"

"That doesn't actually sound crazy at all. It sounds like you're just trying to cope with things" William started "Thanks for the advice"

"No problem, I hope it helps" Nyssa smiled

Nyssa and William came back to the group and saw Felicity and Rene already there. Oliver and Dig were there too, trying to get a splint on Curtis until A.R.G.U.S came to help out. Nyssa saw that they were struggling to get a proper splint on so she and William both walked over.

"Might we be of assistance?" Nyssa asked as she and William came over

"Yeah, we can't make a good splint until A.R.G.U.S gets here" Oliver said

"Nonsense!" Nyssa said as she pulled four arrows from Oliver's quiver, making him jump a bit

Nyssa lined the arrows up and knelt down on the ground. William smiled as he brought his leg down on the arrows just like they did with Felicity's splint. The cuts were still pretty clean, but Nyssa still had to pull an arrowhead off of one of them. Once the shafts were ready, Nyssa stepped over to Curtis, who was now awake, and created a splint similar to Felicity's, but it had a couple more shafts when Nyssa found that it was an oblique displaced fracture. Soon enough, Curtis's arm was set back into place and was in a tight splint

"Thanks for the help Nyssa" Oliver smiled at her

"Not a problem at all" Nyssa started "Where did Ms. Drake and Mr. Lance go?"

"I sent them to the monastery to look for survivors" Oliver reported

Oliver and Nyssa continued small talk until Dig walked back over to them with some news to share.

"A.R.G.U.S is less than two minutes out. Lyla has our location and will be landing soon" Dig reported

"Shoot, I need to get going then" Nyssa said as she grabbed her bow off the ground

"Right, you're wanted by A.R.G.U.S" Oliver said with a small laugh

"Yeah and I've got to get back home. I have things I need to do and I can't be in a prison to do that"

"Where's home for you these days?" Oliver asked

"Nanda Parbat has been abandoned, but it still provides decent shelter so that's where I've been for the past year or so" Nyssa replied

"How are you planning to get home?"

"Not entirely sure, but I need to at least get to the other side of the island before A.R.G.U.S lands"

"Why don't we get back to the shore. You can take the boat back to Nanda Parbat and I'll wait there for Lyla"

"That works for me" Nyssa replied

"William, can you stay here with Mr. Ramirez and Mr. Diggle?" Oliver asked as he turned to William

"Sure" William replied, then turned to Nyssa "Thank you for the advice"

"You're welcome, hope you can find happiness again" Nyssa said with a smile before she turned to leave with Oliver

"What advice did you give him?" Oliver asked when they were a safe distance away from everyone else

"How to cope with a loss by finding what makes you happy" Nyssa replied as they kept walking

From then, they walked in silence towards the shore where the boat was docked. When they got there, Oliver helped Nyssa remove Chase's body from the sealed room, then helped prepare the boat.

"By the way, thanks for taking care of the GSW" Nyssa said as she jumped into the boat

"I should be the one thanking you…for agreeing to help, despite Merlyn being here, and for helping William. You really did look like a mother" Oliver smiled "Are you sure you don't want to come back to Star City? I'm sure Lyla would let you off if she learned what you did for us"

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm quite happy with what I'm doing now" Nyssa smiled "But we can always keep in touch because who knows, maybe I'll be in Star City sooner than you think"

"I hope so" Oliver said as he jumped into the boat with Nyssa

She was confused at first, but then Oliver pulled her into a hug. Oliver probably didn't mean it in that way, but it almost felt like a romantic hug…like he was going to miss her when she left. Nyssa returned the hug and they stayed like that for several minutes. The sound of helicopters was what finally broke them apart

"Until we meet again" Nyssa said with a smile

"Until then" Oliver replied with a smile as he jumped off the boat

Nyssa turned back towards the wheel and got the boat going again. By the time the A.R.G.U.S helicopters landed, Nyssa was far out in the middle of the ocean, watching as the island and all her 'friends' got smaller and smaller.

 _End of Flashback_

-(=+=)-

Oliver was still sitting by Nyssa's bed side when he felt her arm move. He picked his head up and saw that her eyes were opening. Oliver leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, which woke her up completely. Nyssa was still lying on her back when Oliver pulled away and smiled down at her

"You still look so beautiful" Oliver whispered

"Why would I not?" Nyssa laughed as she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed "How long was I out?"

"Only a couple hours. Don't worry, Elena and the others have already departed for Italy and are still on schedule after a bunch of other assassins gave a hand in repairing the plane"

"Good to hear…" Nyssa started "I'm really sorry about all of this…"

"What's there to be sorry about?" Oliver asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed next to Nyssa

"I dragged you to Nanda Parbat, I took that stone and I was the one who endangered you by bringing you here"

"First of all, we agreed to go to Nanda Parbat together. You took the stone from the pit because you wanted to bring it back here to help people. And as for that endangering me, you could never do such a thing. I wanted to come here with you and I'm glad I did" Oliver said, then put his hand under Nyssa's chin, forcing her to look at him "If I hadn't come, then I would probably be back in Star City waiting for a plane to get me to you"

Oliver couldn't hold back any longer. He put his hand on the back of Nyssa's head and pulled her into a passionate kiss. She responded by wrapped her hand around his neck, making the kiss deeper. The kissing lasted a few minutes before both of them pulled away for air

"I love you, so much" Oliver smiled

"And I you" Nyssa replied as she stood up from the bed.

Oliver watched as Nyssa walked over to a small table towards the corner of the room. On the table there was a wooden bowl that was apparently filled with water. Nyssa splashed some of the water on her face, then dried it up with a towel that was placed nearby.

"So what's going on in terms of transportation back to Star City? Do I need to call the phoenix?" Nyssa asked as she walked back towards Oliver, who was still sitting on the bed

"No, in fact, the priestess said that you shouldn't try anything related to the sword 'magic' for at least twenty four hours. Elena arranged for a plane to take us back to Star City which should be here in around thirty minutes" Oliver replied

"Well that's nice to know" Nyssa smiled

Nyssa walked over to the chair where her sword, quiver, and side bag were. She gathered the few things she had brought with and set them near the door so she wouldn't forget them.

"So what do you want to do while we wait?" Oliver asked

"Well I doubt you ate in the time we've been here so why don't we head down to the dining hall and get something? I know for a fact that league extraction planes don't have flight attendants" Nyssa replied

"Sounds like a plan" Oliver said as he got up

Nyssa threw her sword and quiver back on her back, then led Oliver out of her room and towards the dining hall. The breakfast rush had just come through so there were some left overs that Nyssa and Oliver took. When they had finished their meal, the two of them walked up towards the runway, where a plane was waiting for them. The pilot and co-pilot greeted them and soon enough, they were off the ground and heading towards Star City.

 **Author's Note: Okie! So the schedule for updates is going to be the same as Scratched Silver; an update should be expected every two to three days, but if I have extra time, they may come out every twenty four hours or so. I noticed that since I uploaded this, Scratched Silver has had a lot more people coming to read it so thank you guys for checking it out!**


	3. Moments of Relaxation

Nyssa and Oliver had been in the air for around eleven hours now, so it didn't come as a surprise when only a couple hours into the flight, Oliver rested his head on Nyssa's shoulder and quickly fell asleep. Nyssa had already got the sleep she needed after the Lazarus stone incident, so she stayed still so her beloved could sleep. In the time he was sleeping, Nyssa was able to find her notebook in her bag. Nazaria had recommended that she write down any development in her abilities, as it would help find patterns. Since Oliver had fallen asleep on her right shoulder, Nyssa had to use her left hand to write, which wasn't really a problem, seeing as she was ambidextrous.

She was still writing down the information regarding the imbalance when she felt Oliver start to stir in his sleep. Nyssa glanced over and saw that her beloved was just shifting his position, so she continued her writing, hoping she wouldn't disturb him.

A couple minutes passed before Oliver opened his eyes and realized was on his beloved's shoulder. He was awake, but he stayed like that for a few minutes, just enjoying the company. Nyssa didn't seem to mind at all that Oliver had been using her as a pillow, in fact, it seemed that she enjoyed it. Oliver noticed that Nyssa was writing in a blank notebook and the pages were filled with lots of Arabic scribbles.

"What are you writing beloved?" Oliver asked, still on her shoulder

"Nazaria recommended that I write down any changes or developments with the sword abilities so I can find patterns. I've just been writing down everything that happened along with the Lazarus stone" Nyssa replied

"Exactly how many languages do you know?" Oliver asked with a small laugh

"Quite a few" Nyssa laughed "And you?"

"Two and a half"

"Two and a half? Where does the half come from"

"English, Russian, and a bit of Arabic" Oliver replied "How about you?"

"Five and three halves"

"I need to get moving" Oliver laughed

"Don't worry, if you hang around the league, you can get a pretty good grasp of each. Everyone there speaks at least two languages"

"I hope William can pick up on all the languages. It would be a great opportunity for him when he gets older"

"I agree, maybe we should just start speaking in Russian at home so he's forced to pick it up" Nyssa suggested with a laugh

"He would get so pissed off" Oliver laughed "Is that how you learned?"

"Sort of, I grew up speaking Arabic with the other assassins while I spoke English with the visitors. From there, it was just a matter of visiting different countries and picking up the languages over the years"

"Interesting way of learning"

"How did you learn beloved?"

"Well since I'm American, I have always spoke English. When I was on the island, I met some Russians who taught me some things here and there, then I went to Russia where I solidified my ability to speak the language"

"You didn't pick up anything else on the island?"

"Shado taught me a bit of Chinese and Japanese, but not enough to survive the streets and then I picked up some Arabic from Nanda Parbat and you over the years" Oliver said as he reached over to Nyssa with his free hand and pulled her into a kiss

"You really are that comfortable, aren't you?" Nyssa laughed when they pulled away

"I'm always comfortable when I'm with you" Oliver replied with a warm smile

"Well I'm glad. It wouldn't be much of a relationship if you weren't" Nyssa smiled

"This is completely off topic-" Oliver started, but Nyssa interrupted

"There was a topic?" She asked with a laugh

"No" Oliver replied, laughing as well "Random question. Do you have any idea where Lenora and Jacob went off to?"

"Oh, yeah. Lenora decided that since the two of them never got a proper honeymoon after their league wedding, they were going to take a few weeks and visit some places around the world. They should be back within the next week or so. Honestly, they should stay for longer" Nyssa replied

"Why? So Lenora can find the best fries in the world?"

"Knowing her, she probably already has"

"True, so where do you want to go for our honeymoon?"

"I am just fine in Star City. We have all our friends and family there. William's there. I can't think of a place I'd rather be"

"What about Thailand?"

"Is there something special you want to see in Thailand beloved?"

"They have some of the most beautiful beaches and I know you love Thai food" Oliver said with a small laugh

"I do love Thai food, you got me on that one" Nyssa laughed as she rested her head on the back of the chair so she was looking up at the ceiling "Have you been there?"

"Once, when I was really young. I just remember seeing pictures in a photo album of Me, Thea and my parents all on a beach together"

"Well if you're saying it's a beautiful place to stay, then that could definitely be where we take our honeymoon"

"Are you sure there's nowhere else you want to go?" Oliver asked as he picked his head up from Nyssa's shoulder

"I've been to quite a few places, but I've heard about this beach in Australia with bioluminescent waters. It's got that effect because of the algae mixed with the water. Since it's rather close to Thailand, we could always stop there if you'd like"

"Look at us being all productive and planning the honeymoon" Oliver chuckled "So we're going to Thailand and the Australian coast!"

"I suppose so" Nyssa laughed as she pulled her beloved in a kiss

The next five hours passed by in a blur, especially since Nyssa and Oliver spent the entire time talking about random memories and anything else that hit their minds. They were so caught up their conversation that they didn't even notice when the plane landed.

Once it was grounded, Nyssa and Oliver both walked off the plane and on the old air strip. The warm evening air provided a certain comfort that Finiks Jurf didn't offer much of.

"I take it you would like to go home?" Oliver asked as they walked further away from the plane

"I'm fine with anything, beloved. If there's something you'd like to do while we're out, let's do that" Nyssa replied with a small shrug of her shoulders

"Okay then…I need to drop by the office and pick up some files. It may be a bit longer than you would expect so are you sure you don't want me to drop you off at home?"

"Whatever happens is fine by me" Nyssa smiled

"Are you absolutely sure you're going to be alright?"

"You're the one who fell asleep on my shoulder"

"Right, to the office!" Oliver laughed as he took Nyssa's hand and they walked towards the area where the car was parked

-(=+=)-

Nyssa and Oliver both walked out of the elevator and onto the floor where Oliver's office was. Since Nyssa had to take care of the Phoenix League during the day, she didn't pick up her job on the security detail.

Occasionally, when Oliver was working in the office, Nyssa would randomly stop in when she had a few minutes. She usually came by using the phoenix, so she was always in her armor when she came in. Since she and Oliver were still active in the vigilante business, Nyssa made sure to keep her hood and veil up just in case someone walked inside, but no one ever did.

Oliver opened the door up for Nyssa and they both walked into his office. Oliver took a seat behind his desk while Nyssa wandered over to the sitting area and took a seat on the couch after getting out the notebook she had been writing in during the plane ride. It wasn't long before Natalie, Oliver's assistant, walked into the office.

"Good evening Mr. Queen, nice to see you were able to make it in. I have to say, it's nice that you are more productive at home, but it's not the same around here without you" Natalie said when she walked inside

Natalie glanced over to her right and saw Nyssa sitting on the couch, writing in a notebook.

"Good to see you again Nyssa" Natalie said with a smile

"Good to see you as well, Natalie. How are things going with the man?" Nyssa asked with a small smirk

"Quite well. I've got a feeling that he's going to pop the question within the next few weeks!" Natalie said excitedly

"Perfect! You two make an excellent team" Nyssa smiled

"I'm sorry, what's going on?" Oliver asked

"Oh, my apologies Mr. Queen" Natalie started, but was cut off

"Natalie here has found her perfect man at that perfect day is expected to come around the corner very soon" Nyssa said with a smile "I believe you know that day beloved?"

"Quite well" Oliver chuckled "I hope everything goes well Natalie"

"Thank you sir" Natalie replied

"No need for formalities. We're all friends here" Oliver said with a smile

"I'm just going to say this now, but you have to be the best person I've worked for. All the others are so stuck up and rude. It's nice to have a change"

"I'm glad I could make your days a bit more enjoyable" Oliver started "Were you able to get those files ready that I sent to you via email?"

"Yes and I'll be right back with those" Natalie said as she turned to leave the office

"We need to make all the floors in city hall like this. Happy people and friendly encounters" Oliver smiled when Natalie left the room

"I can get on that if you'd like" Nyssa said with a smile

"Nah, I'm greedy. I want you here with me" Oliver chuckled

"I kind of expected that answer" Nyssa laughed

Nyssa went back to writing and Oliver went back to signing off on some documents. A few minutes later, Natalie returned with the files and Oliver got to work with those. He was only a few documents in when Nyssa spoke up

"Do you have a lighter by any chance?"

"Why do you need a lighter?" Oliver asked as he turned towards her

"Need to activate the ghost ink and I would normally do it with my flame, but seeing as we're in a public building and I'm trying to do what Nazaria said, I can't use it" Nyssa replied

"This may be a long shot, but I can check with Quentin or Rene if you'd like"

"Don't worry about it, I can go ask them"

Nyssa got up from the couch and carried the notebook at her side. She first walked over to Oliver and gave him a quick kiss, then turned towards the door. Nyssa walked down the hallway until she came to Rene's office. She gave a light knock on the door, then pushed it open. Rene was sitting at his desk reading a book that didn't really look relevant to anything going on with the mayor's office. Rene looked up and saw Nyssa walk in and let a small smile cross his lips

"Evening Nyssa! What are you doing here?" Rene asked

"Oliver and I got back from Finiks Jurf and he needed to stop by and get some files. I started working on something for the league and I'm missing a flame. Do you have a lighter I could borrow?"

"Why do you need a lighter? You can just make a flame"

"There was an incident and I'm not supposed to use any sort of ability for twenty four hours" Nyssa started "And plus, this is a public place"

"True, I think I've got one down here" Rene said as he bent down to the bottom drawer of his desk.

Rene pulled out a small lighter and handed it to Nyssa, who walked over to the edge of nearby table and set the notebook down once it was open to the first page.

"What do you need a lighter for exactly?" Rene asked as he turned his chair so he could see

"I need to activate some ghost ink" Nyssa started "Do you want to see how it works?"

"Sure, no harm in knowing" Rene said as he got up and stood at Nyssa's side

Nyssa positioned the lighter at the edge of the first page and started a flame. The flame barley had to make contact with the paper before the whole thing lit up. The fire spread to the next page and stopped when both pages were engulfed in a gentle fire. Nyssa picked up the warm notebook and blew in between the pages. The flames blew off the page and disappeared once they had nothing to hang on to. Surprisingly, there was no smoke from the fire

"That's how you activate ghost ink. I didn't think it would involve lighting a book on fire" Rene chuckled

"It surprised me as well, especially since there wasn't any smoke" Nyssa started "Off topic question but how's Zoe?"

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell William" Rene said as a stern expression crossed him

"I promise" Nyssa replied

"Okay, this is great!" Rene said with a smile "She is really crushing on William as of recently"

"No way!" Nyssa gasped "I couldn't tell!" She said sarcastically

"Yeah, to us adults, it's painfully obvious but hey, it's just one bonus to having kids" Rene laughed "She was getting concerned that Kaida or Monica was going to go after William and almost started crying. It really broke my cold heart"

"You don't have a cold heart" Nyssa laughed "And I can guarantee that William doesn't have romantic feelings for Kaida or Monica in fact, Monica has been offering him some advice as of recently"

"Oh dang, that is going to make this so much harder"

"Don't worry. When school starts back up, I'm sure it will become more than clear for them" Nyssa started "Anyway, I need to get back to Oliver. We are supposed to get home before six so William isn't left alone"

"Alright then, thanks for the chat. It was getting boring in here"

"No problem! Have a good night" Nyssa said as she walked out the door

"You too!" Rene called after her

Nyssa walked back into the hallway and towards Oliver's office. When she walked inside, she saw Oliver putting some files in his bag.

"I take it you've finished?" Nyssa asked

"Not quite, but we need to get home before William gets home. I can just finish this later tonight" Oliver replied "Did you get the lighter?"

"Yeah, Rene helped me out"

Nyssa walked back over to the couch and grabbed her bag. She stuffed the notebook inside, then walked over to where Oliver was.

"Are you ready to go beloved?" Nyssa asked when she was standing at the side of Oliver's desk

"Almost, I just need to go ask Quentin something" Oliver said as he got up from the desk "Be back in a sec"

Oliver walked out of the office and Nyssa was left alone. While she was waiting, she moved towards the windows and watched the city several stories below her feet. Nyssa was still admiring the view when she could hear her phone ringing. No one really called her so she walked back to her bag and pulled out her phone. The caller ID read 'Elena' so she went ahead and picked up

"You don't call unless it's an absolute emergency. Is everything alright?" Nyssa asked when she picked up

 _"_ _Don't worry, it's not an emergency"_ Elena reassured _"I just wanted to see how you were doing"_

"Much better. Thank you for helping out with everything. I'm sorry I got you involved in that"

 _"_ _It's not a problem, really. Things happen, especially in our line of work"_

"So how's Italy so far?"

 _"_ _Warm actually. It's almost three in the morning down here so my team is already asleep. I just wanted to check on you first"_

"Aww, that's sweet. I'm doing just fine in fact, I think Oliver actually took a bigger hit from it all"

 _"_ _How so?"_

"He fell asleep on my shoulder on the fight back and probably starved himself while I was out. We're actually at the office getting some files before we head home and I think Oliver could use a rest"

 _"_ _Look at you! You're already acting like a great wife and a mother"_

"Just doing my best" Nyssa chuckled "I should get going so I don't hold Oliver up"

 _"_ _Wait, there's one more reason I called"_

"What's that?"

 _"_ _I was actually going to tell you at the runway before the whole Lazarus stone thing happened, but I've been chasing down a few leads on some people that could potentially become allies of the league"_

"Who do you have?"

"Does the name 'Celestial Order' ring any bells?"

"A few" Nyssa admitted "So you want to create an alliance between them?"

 _"_ _I think it could be beneficial to the development of the league and it could help us keep an eye some countries that we don't have intel on. Plus, they could give you some information on the celestial side of the sword abilities. I know you and Nazaria haven't figured it all out yet and they could be of assistance"_

"You're not wrong there…"

Nyssa was about to say something else when Oliver walked back into the office

"I need to go, Oliver just got back. I'll look into it and let you know what I've found when you get back"

 _"_ _Alright then, see you then"_

"Bye"

"Who was that?" Oliver asked as he put his arm around Nyssa's shoulder

"Elena. She wanted to check in and make sure I was alright" Nyssa replied as she leaned her head up on Oliver's shoulder

"Well that was nice of her. Should we get going?"

"Yeah, let's go before William thinks we left him"

Oliver smiled down at Nyssa and they both walked out of his office and towards his car. They were able to get home rather quickly since traffic was light. When they got out of the car, the couple saw a red pickup truck pulling up behind them. Oliver recognized it as Max's car so he got out to greet them.

William jumped out of the truck with Kaida, Tom, and Jasper and saw his dad and Nyssa approaching.

"Hi Dad!" William called out as he quickly walked over to the two "Hey Nyssa!"

"Hey Buddy!" Oliver said as he pulled his son into a hug "How was the trip?"

"Really fun! We went hunting, fishing, tree climbing, and we built a fort from old lumber and some tarps! It was so big that we actually set up some tents in the fort!"

"Wow, that sounds like fun!" Oliver laughed

"It was! I don't know how but Kaida was amazing when we went hunting! She shot a deer for dinner!" Tom pitched in

"I'm not good at it, you guys just suck at aiming" Kaida laughed "But it was fun watching you guys"

"Glad to hear you all had fun" Max said as he locked the truck "These guys wanted to go out again but for longer. Maybe we go out next week and you guys can come along"

"That could be a lot of fun! We should do it dad!" William said with a little jump

"It's definitely something we should look into" Oliver admitted

"So I was planning on taking Tom, Jasper and Kaida to the diner down the street since Jinja isn't home at the moment. Would you two and William like to join us?" Max asked

"Sure! You guys can tell us more about the trip" Oliver replied

"And you can tell us what happened while we were gone" William said with a smirk as they all started walking towards the diner "I know you went to Finiks Jurf without me"

"We only went to deliver a notebook to Elena. Don't worry, there wasn't any sparring or battles that you would have been interested in" Oliver replied

"Dang, that sucks" William laughed

"We're just glad you had more fun than we did" Nyssa laughed

-(=+=)-

Oliver, Nyssa, and William all got back from the diner and walked into the penthouse.

"Ugh, did I tell you that we only got two hours of sleep last night?" William groaned as he dumped his bag by the door

"No, which is why you should get your things and go to bed" Oliver chuckled

"But it's only nine o'clock"

"I know, but aren't you tired?"

William nodded his head and picked up his bag. He started walking towards his bedroom when he saw four other duffle bags by the door with the league's symbol on them.

"Where did these come from?" William asked

"Oh, Nyssa and I took a quick trip to Nanda Parbat and raided the weapons stash. I need to drop those off at the bunker tonight" Oliver replied

"Okay then, I'm going to bed" William said as he walked into his room and shut the door behind him

"Night buddy" Oliver called after him

Oliver walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. Nyssa followed behind him and stood in the doorway.

"You don't look well beloved" Nyssa stated as she watched her beloved down the water "You look a bit pale"

"Ugh…I think that burger is screwing with me…" Oliver groaned as he set the cup in the sink "Just give me…five minutes"

"I'm sorry, I can't do that" Nyssa chuckled as she gently grabbed Oliver's arm and led him to the couch. "I'll drop the duffle bags off at the bunker. You stay here. I don't want you throwing up down there….the smell lingers"

"You don't want me coming because the smell lingers?" Oliver laughed as he rolled onto his side once he was on the couch

Nyssa smiled down at him and knelt down so he could see her and still be comfortable. He gently placed the back of her hand on his forehead, which was warm, but not hot

"It may not be just a bad burger, but a fever" Nyssa said as she removed her hand from his forehead

Oliver nodded his head slightly, then moved his hand to his stomach and clutched it.

"Get a bowl…." Oliver groaned

Nyssa sprung up from the floor and came back with a metal bowl. Oliver quickly took the bowl from her and emptied the contents of his stomach. Over Oliver's coughing, Nyssa could hear the sound of bare feet running into the room.

"Oh my god is Nyssa pregnant?!" William asked as he ran into the room

Oliver tried to hold back a laugh but really couldn't help himself. Nyssa sat on the floor while trying to hide her red face but it didn't fool William in the slightest.

"No William, your father has a fever" Nyssa finally replied as she got up from the floor and walked into the kitchen. "Can you keep an eye on him?"

"Sure" William said as he sat in the couch across from the one his father was occupying "Are you alright dad?"

"I'll be fine" Oliver coughed out "You're not sick, are you?"

"No, I'm fine" William replied

Nyssa returned a few minutes later with the bowl cleaned and a damp rag. She knelt back down on the ground and used the rag to wipe the sweat off of her beloved's forehead. Oliver felt like crap, but seeing his beloved with him forced a smile to part from his lips

"Beloved, I want you to stay here. I'll be back in a few minutes after dropping off the weapons before someone unwanted sees them" Nyssa whispered to him, then turned back towards William. "I need you to stay here with him. If he throws up again, call me"

"Alright" William replied "You hear that dad? I'm in charge tonight!"

Oliver nodded into the pillow and watched Nyssa get up from the wooden floor. She walked into their bedroom and returned a few minutes later with her full set of armor on. Her bow was slung over her shoulder with her sword so she could pick up the four bags without trouble.

"Remember, call me if something happens and I will get back here as soon as I can" Nyssa reminded as she picked up the bags

"I don't even get a goodbye kiss?" Oliver asked from the couch

Nyssa smiled and set the bags down. She removed her hood and veil as she walked over to her beloved. Nyssa knelt down towards Oliver's head and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, then did the same for William.

"I'll be back soon" Nyssa said as she walked towards her and Oliver's balcony, which she used for easy access to the roof and alley

"So when do I get to call her mom?" William asked as he adjusted his position on second couch

"There's no proper time to call her mom….it's whenever you feel comfortable" Oliver replied quietly

William nodded in response, then decided to keep quiet so his dad could try to get to sleep.

-(=+=)-

"Hello? Anyone in here?" Nyssa called into the bunker as she walked inside

"Hey Nyssa! We're all over here!" Katara called from the meeting table

Nyssa walked over to where the voice had come from and saw Katara, Dig, Curtis, Rene, Dinah, and even Lyla all sitting at the table with a game of monopoly set up. There were some Chinese takeout boxes that were set aside so Nyssa assumed they had a game night.

"Did I miss out on game night?" Nyssa asked with an eyebrow raised as she set down the bags

"Yeah, sorry about that" Dinah replied "So where's Oliver and what are those bags for?"

"Oliver is at home with a fever and these bags are filled with weapons that Oliver and I collected from Nanda Parbat yesterday" Nyssa replied

"Wait, the boss has a fever?" Rene asked

"Yeah, it was probably some bacteria in Finiks Jurf. It finally got the best of him after dinner. He wanted to come down here but for obvious reasons, I made him stay home with William" Nyssa said

"So what all did you find in Nanda Parbat and was it over run by bandits?" Curtis asked excitedly

"No bandits, as the fortress is hidden in the mountains, but we did get lots of 'fun' things!" Nyssa said as she knelt down by a bag and unzipped it.

She pulled out a large variety of swords, miniature spears, katanas, nun-chucks, some bows, seven different types of arrows, a couple quivers, and a ton of knives, daggers, and throwing stars

"Damn! You got it all!" Katara laughed as she picked up a sword

"I guess we did. There's more left so sometime, we might take the whole team there to collect the rest" Nyssa said "You guys can use whatever you want in here, just don't damage it"

"How is it that you know where all the deadly weapons are but you didn't know how to order a pizza?" Katara asked with a laugh

"To be fair, it was the first time I had ever heard that you can order a pizza so cut me some slack there. As for the weapons, we all have our different skill sets" Nyssa laughed, then turned to Lyla "Alright, different subject. You don't usually pop in for game nights. Are you trying something new?"

"Yeah actually. Johnny here recommended that I get to know the team better and it has been quite a nice experience" Lyla started "By the way, I never got to thank you for saving my agents back in Philadelphia so thank you for that"

"You're most welcome. If you need any help in the future, just let me know and I can see what I can do" Nyssa said with a small smile

"I'll keep that in mind" Lyla replied

"Anyway, I need to get going. I don't want Oliver throwing up on the couch and William being forced to clean it up" Nyssa said as she started walking towards the door

"Nice of you to drop in!" Curtis called after her

Nyssa turned to wave then walked outside the bunker and into the alleyway. She shot an arrow up to the roof and pulled herself up. Once she was in a steady position, Nyssa started running back towards her home.

-(=+=)-

Nyssa jumped down on the balcony belonging to her and Oliver, then walked inside the bedroom. She didn't even bother taking off her armor and quickly walked into the living room. A small smile parted her lips where she saw that both of her boys had fallen asleep on the couch. William was completely sprawled out on one and Oliver was positioned in a similar way. Both of them were dressed in sweats and a light tee shirt so Nyssa assumed that William swayed his father into getting into something that didn't smell like vomit.

Nyssa still didn't care if her armor was on, she wanted to be with her boys. She walked over to the couches, took off her quiver and sword and placed them on the floor next to her, still in arms reach just in case. Just for comfort, she also took off her circlet and pulled out her ponytail; after all, it would suck to have a print branded into her forehead in the morning.

Nyssa sat down on the floor and leaned her back up against the couch. She positioned one leg on the floor and bent while the other arched over, provided a bit of support so she didn't fall over. Once she leaned her head back, sleep came easy to her and she drifted off to the faint sounds of Oliver snoring

-(=+=)-

William woke up the next morning and found himself still on the couch where he had made himself comfortable the night before. He turned his head and saw his father still sleeping on the couch while Nyssa sat on the floor with her back up against the couch, still asleep. William realized that they both must have been really tired, so he quietly crawled off the couch and tiptoed back to his room, where he was hoping to get online with Tom and Jasper.

About an hour had passed since William had left the room when Oliver started tossing and turning.

(Inside Oliver's head…)

 _Something was chasing him so he kept running. He was terrified but he didn't know why. He was getting slower and the thing was getting faster. Oliver kept running through the lush green plants of the rain forest until he broke through the canopy and was touched by the sunlight. He turned around to see what was chasing him and watched the trees shake with every step taken. The creature's head didn't break through the canopy, but Oliver heard the glass shattering cry and watched the bird escape the threatened branches. Oliver turned around and started running again. He ran back into the rain forest and did his best to dodge the branches and other obstacles in front of him, all in an attempt to escape whatever was chasing him._

(Meanwhile, back in the real world…)

Oliver kept shifting his position as he dodged the greenery. He didn't kick or flail his arms around, he just kept flipping from side to side.

Oliver flipped a bit too much and slipped off the couch. His legs were the first thing that slipped. Once they made contact with the wooden floor, the rest of his body was dragged with them until his whole body tumbled down towards the floor.

On his way to the ground, Oliver crashed into Nyssa, who was still leaning up against the couch, and fell on top of her. She awoke with a jump but found herself underneath Oliver, who was picking his head up from beside hers

"Good morning beloved….did you sleep alright?" Nyssa asked from the ground as she looked up into Oliver's enchanting, blue eyes

The morning lust started to overcome him as he looked down at his beloved. Her armor was still on, but that didn't stop Oliver from running his hand up the side of her thigh. He moved his hand up to her back, making her arch up slightly. At that moment, Oliver leaned down and brought her lips into a passionate kiss. As he moved his hand up and down her back, Nyssa kissed back with an equal amount of passion.

"Does that answer your question?" Oliver whispered up against his beloved's neck, causing chills to be sent down her spine

"Quite well…" She replied, still with her head on the hard wood

Oliver smirked as he crawled off of her. He was still kneeling on the ground and offered Nyssa a hand up into a sitting position. She took his hand and he pulled her close to his chest

"I take it you're feeling much better?" Nyssa asked

"Quite. I'm not feeling like I want to throw up or take a nap so that's good" Oliver replied

"You should still try to take the day off today, just to be sure. I don't want you getting sick in the office or worse, out in the field"

"I suppose I could do that, as long as you're here with me"

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere" Nyssa laughed quietly as she was pulled into another kiss

"Good" Oliver smirked as they pulled away

They both released each other from the embrace and got up from the ground. Nyssa went to change while Oliver went to the kitchen. Instead of making an elaborate breakfast, Oliver just pulled out a loaf of bread and made himself a good ol' piece of toast. Nyssa emerged from the bedroom a few minutes later with William by her side and they each took a seat next to Oliver

"So is it toast morning?" William asked

"Yeah, I don't want to contaminate any food I make you guys. Hope you understand" Oliver replied

"Not a problem at all beloved. Nothing's better than toast" Nyssa smiled

"Fries are better than toast" William laughed

"Hmm, maybe you should talk with Lenora about it. I bet she can give you all sorts of pointers" Nyssa laughed

"I guess so" William started "Me and Jasper were talking this morning and he invited me over to his place. Can I go?"

"I don't see why not. He lives in the complex right down the street, right?" Nyssa asked

"Yeah, that's him, which makes transportation rather easy" William replied "Dad, can I go?"

"Sure, it's fine with me" Oliver said as he gave a sly smirk towards Nyssa, making sure that William couldn't see

"Cool! I'm going to go get my things and head over there. Kaida might be joining us later if her mom agrees" William said as he walked back to his room

"So, what are we going to do today?" Nyssa asked

"Well, I need to finish up those files from last night, then I need to run to the bunker and get a flash drive from Katara. Other than that, I'm open" Oliver replied after swallowing his bite of toast

"Okay then. Do you want to get the files done first, then get to the bunker?"

"Sure, that sounds good"

"Great, because I need to take a shower. You would not believe how dusty the alley ways get in the summer!" Nyssa said with a small groan

"Don't worry, I've lived here for my entire life. I know about the allies" Oliver laughed

"Then you can understand why I'm going to take a shower" Nyssa said as she walked around the counter and placed a kiss on Oliver's lips

Oliver watched as she left the kitchen and walked into their room. A couple minutes later, Oliver could barely hear the water rushing. He finished up the last few bites of toast, then headed to his office and got to work on the files so he and Nyssa could get to the bunker sooner rather than later and hopefully make it home before William did.


	4. The Celestial Order

Nyssa stepped out of the bathroom after taking a warm shower. She had already thrown some clothes on and pulled her hair up so she was all set. Nyssa walked towards the office and saw that William's room was empty. She walked further down the hallway and stepped into Oliver's office, where he had a bunch of files spread out on his desk

"I see you've made progress" Nyssa said

"Yeah, quite a lot. I can be done in the next ten or fifteen minutes" Oliver replied with a smile

Nyssa smiled back at him, then walked to the side of the desk. While Oliver was still looking down at the papers, Nyssa placed the back of her hand on his forehead.

"Looks like it wasn't a fever" Nyssa said happily as she removed her hand

"That's good to know" Oliver smiled

"So did William already leave for Jasper's?"

"Yeah, he actually just sent me a text saying he got there alright"

"Good to know. So you go ahead a finish those papers while I got sharpen my sword"

"Nothing's stopping you from doing it in here, right?"

"Okay then, I'll be back in a minute" Nyssa said as she walked out of the door

Nyssa can back a few minutes later with a small wooden block and her sword, which was still sheathed. There was a big chair in the corner that Nyssa had already 'claimed' as hers for whenever she's in the office, so she took it with no surprise to Oliver

"I see you've claimed the chair" Oliver said with a small laugh

"You say that as if it's a surprise" Nyssa laughed

Oliver couldn't help but smile as he went back to reading. Nyssa pull her sword from the sheath and held it in the air to see how dull the blade actually was. Oliver watched as she shifted the blade a few times, then brought it down towards the wooden block. The sound metal scrapping up against smooth wood was actually quite soothing to Oliver and he had no idea why.

The two of them each finished their tasks, then got ready to go to the bunker. Oliver took a quick shower while Nyssa gathered her armor. Nyssa was ready before Oliver so she waited by the front door. Oliver emerged from the bedroom a few minutes later.

"Are you ready to go?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, I've actually been waiting for you" Nyssa smiled

"Well then, let's get going"

-(=+=)-

Nyssa and Oliver both walked off the elevator and into the bunker. From their position, they could see Katara and Curtis programming something but no one else was there.

"Wow, it seems more empty than usual" Oliver announced as he walked over to where Katara and Curtis were

"I suppose so, but Dig is here too. We just have no idea where he is exactly" Katara replied

"He's down in the garage" Curtis stated

"So how are you holding up boss?" Katara asked

"Better, thanks. Do you have that flash drive ready?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, hold on a sec"

Katara jumped up from the stool she was sitting on jumped up to the platform. She pulled a flash drive out of a drawer. Katara walked back to the small group and handed Oliver the flash drive.

"There you go, that should do it"

"Thanks Katara" Oliver said as he pocketed the flash drive

"No problem"

Katara went back to her work with Curtis leaving Oliver and Nyssa together.

"So, do you want to spar for a bit?" Nyssa asked

"That could be fun, let's do it!"

Oliver walked over to a barrel by the training mats and pulled out two bo staffs. He threw one back to Nyssa, who had to jump a bit to catch it.

"Are you trying to throw these so I can't catch them?" Nyssa asked with a smirk

"Maybe…?" Oliver said with a cheeky smile

"I did not mess up in saying yes to you" Nyssa laughed "At least you're taller than me"

"Wow, I didn't think that counts as a bonus" Oliver laughed as he took his stance

"You'd be surprised by what I count as a bonus"

"Go on, give me something"

"Okay then. I consider your meatloaf dinners a bonus"

"Really? You consider that failed dinner a bonus?"

"Not the actual food, but all the laughing that took place after William choked on it"

"Yeah, that was a lot of fun…" Oliver laughed "So the meatloaf…?"

"It needs work" Nyssa smiled

-(=+=)-

It was around four o'clock when William walked through the door to his house. He opened the door, stepped inside, and made sure to lock the door behind him.

"Dad….Nyssa? Anyone home?" William shouted into the penthouse

There was no reply. William figured that they may have been someone where they couldn't hear him so he started looking around the house. The living room and kitchen were both empty so he started looking around in the office but still didn't find them. The last place to look was the bedroom, which he low key didn't want to look in, but walked towards it anyway.

"Hello? Dad? You in there?" William said as he gave the door a loud knock.

There was no answer so he carefully pushed the door open. There wasn't anyone in the bedroom either so William started getting a bit concerned. He walked back into the living room and pulled out his phone. He scrolled down the list of contacts until he found the one labeled 'Dad'. He pressed the number and waited for someone to pick up. Much to his dismay, he heard his dad's ring tone echoing from the office.

"Great, Dad left his phone at home…" William muttered as he hung up

He scrolled a bit further down until he found Nyssa's number. He hit the number and waited. Thankfully, there wasn't a echo like before. A couple seconds passed by before someone picked up

 _"_ _Hey William. Is everything alright?"_ Nyssa asked when she picked up

"Sort of. I just got home from Jasper's. Where are you guys?" William asked

 _"_ _Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry William. We lost track of time. Dad and I are down in the bunker. We'll be home soon"_

"Well instead of coming home for good, can you or Dad come pick me up?"

 _"_ _Sure, we'll both come by"_

"Okay thanks, see you soon"

 _"_ _Alright, see you then"_

William hung up the phone and set it down on the counter. While he was waiting, he wandered over to the pantry and pulled out a cookie from a jar that his dad had been trying to hide from him. He may be good at hiding out in the field, but William had a talent for finding things so Oliver's secret jar didn't stand a chance.

William sat back down at the counter and started munching on the cookie. It was one of the chocolate chips that he, Dad, and Nyssa all made together just a few days ago.

He was still eating when he heard a creak come from the master bedroom. At first, William just thought it was the people below them, but then he heard it again. William quickly ran over to the butcher block and pulled out one of the knives. He held it close to him but he also perfected his stance so whatever was making that noise couldn't get a move on him.

William quietly walked towards the master bedroom with the kitchen knife drawn. He stopped just outside the door when he heard footsteps coming closer. William ran around a corner to try and hide. He peaked his head around the corner and watched a masked assassin walk out from the bedroom. It wasn't his dad and it certainly wasn't Nyssa. This person was wearing the traditional, black league armor with the golden phoenix insignia, but William couldn't see it from where he was standing. Underneath their dark hood, William could see the faint glimmer of a golden circlet that kind of looked like the one Nyssa wore.

Trying not to give it a second thought, William brought the knife's handle to his finger tips and threw it towards the assassin. The assassin whipped around and caught the knife that William threw at them and threw it across the room. William didn't waste a second in running towards the assassin. He started to throw punches and kicks just like his Dad, Lenora, Jacob, and Nyssa all taught him. He even threw in a few roundhouse kicks but the assassin blocked them all. The assassin didn't throw any attacks of their own, but tried to stop William's.

The assassin tried to stop William by calling his name, but he didn't stop his attacks, they only got stronger. William decided he had had enough of this game and did a move that Lenora taught him. He threw another punch at the assassin's side but they caught his arm. Once they had a grip on his arm, William pulled back slightly, then slid underneath their arm. He twisted their arm back and kicked the back of their knees as hard as he could. The assassin fell to their knees and William pinned their arm behind them.

"Who the hell are you and why are you in my house?!" William shouted

"Relax William, I'm a friend" The assassin said

"Friend of who?!" William shouted again

The sound of someone dropping on to the balcony caught both William and the assassin's attention. By the footsteps, William could tell it was Nyssa or Dad that dropped down. The vigilante came running into the room and saw William holding down a masked assassin.

"William! What's going on?!" Nyssa asked when she saw the scene, including the knife thrown across the room.

"Hey Nyssa! Can you please tell your son to let me go?" The masked assassin asked.

William could now tell that the masked assassin was a female. Nyssa pulled off her hood and veil and looked down at the assassin.

"Elena…? Is that you?" Nyssa asked

Elena freed her arm from William's grasp, without hurting him, and moved to take off her hood. She slid it off and Nyssa could see the light brown hair and brown eyes staring back at her.

"Sorry about this whole misunderstanding, but I needed to see you" Elena said

"Okay…but can you two explain what just happened?" Nyssa asked as she walked to the other side of the room and picked up the knife

"She came in here and I wasn't sure what to do so I threw a kitchen knife at her and then started hand to hand combat like you and the team taught me" William replied

"He had excellent form. You're doing a fantastic job teaching him" Elena added in

"Yeah, and I beat you" William said with a smirk

"Oh William, if you were able to pin her like that, she was letting you win. She created this move to get free of that certain pin so I don't think you actually had her" Nyssa pointed out

"I'm sorry William, but I never actually attacked you during that whole thing because I didn't want to hurt you since you mean so much to that one" Elena said as she pointed out to Nyssa

"When did I become a 'that'?" Nyssa asked

"When I deemed you worthy of being a 'that'" Elena replied with a laugh "Anyway, do you have somewhere we could talk? I've got some intel on league business"

"Sure, I actually came here to pick up William and bring him to the bunker. Why don't we head back there and talk"

"Sounds like a plan"

"Great! William, are you ready to go?" Nyssa asked

"Yeah, let me grab my backpack"

William ran over and grabbed his backpack, then the three of them got on the balcony in Nyssa and Oliver's room. They all jumped down into the alley below and started walking towards the bunker. It was only about a fifteen minute walk there. They all walked down to the secret entrance and ended up in the main room of the bunker.

"Wow, this is a pretty nice hideout" Elena said as she looked around the place "Mood lights, nice"

"I don't think those are supposed to be mood lights but you'd have to ask Oliver" Nyssa replied

As soon as they had entered the bunker, William had set down his backpack and ran over to where Curtis was working on some type of modernized arrow, leaving Nyssa and Elena alone. All the members of team arrow were in the bunker by now and turned to see Nyssa and another assassin walking inside.

"Um, Nyssa, who did you bring to the bunker?" Katara asked from the platform

The other members of team arrow looked over and saw a brown haired and brown eyed girl with Nyssa, who was wearing a circlet similar to her own.

"This is Elena. She's my right hand in the league and she's here to chase down a lead with me" Nyssa replied

"Hey, it's good to see you again" Oliver said as he walked over to his beloved and Elena "How was Italy?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm here. We got the initial extraction complete, but we ran into a road block that lead me here" Elena replied, then turned to Nyssa "prókeitai gia tin ouránia taxi (It's regarding the celestial order)"

"Entáxei, akolouthíste mou (Alright then, follow me)" Nyssa said as she guided Elena to another area of the bunker, but she was stopped by Oliver grabbing her arm

"What's going on? You don't start talking in Greek unless something big is going on" Oliver said quietly

"Don't worry about it. It's probably just a misunderstanding and I can get it taken care of" Nyssa said with a small smile

Oliver gave a nod and let go of her arm. Once he had released her, Nyssa showed Elena over to a separate room in the bunker where she was certain they couldn't be heard.

"What's going on?" Nyssa asked once the door was shut

"So after we found the scumbag running the Italian trafficking….sick bastard…we ran into a group of vigilantes that aren't trying to do good. They attacked us and gave a couple of my assassins burns…like this one…." Elena said as she pulled off her bracer and rolled up her sleeve, revealing a burn mark in the shape of a crescent moon.

"Oh my god, is everyone alright?!" Nyssa asked as she pulled Elena's arm closer

"Yeah, everyone is going to be fine. I sent them back to Finiks Jurf and gave them each access to a small vial of eternal water so they could get them healed up"

"But what about you? If you don't get some water on that then it will scar and honestly, that may look like a moon now but it will look ugly in a few weeks"

"Glad to see you're concerned about my physical appearance" Elena laughed "Do you happen to have some water in the bunker?"

"Um, I actually think I do. Hold on a sec" Nyssa said as she walked towards the door "Feel free to make yourself comfortable. That couch over there is really nice"

"Okay then, thanks"

Nyssa stepped out of the room and walked into the main room of the bunker, where the team still was. Oliver watched as Nyssa walked over to the safe and picked out a small vial.

"What's going on with you? Why are you using that?" Oliver asked as he tried to follow Nyssa back to the room

"Something, now I need to go" Nyssa said

"Nyssa, hold on a moment" Oliver said as he grabbed her shoulders "You're hiding something"

"I'll tell you once I have more information. Until then, I need you to let me go"

"You promise?"

"I promise"

"Alright then, I'm expecting an answer soon"

"You'll probably have it sooner than that"

Oliver let go of Nyssa's shoulders and she walked back to the room where Elena was. She walked back into the room and saw Elena sitting on the edge of the couch, looking at one of her sword's blade

"I sharpened this on the plane and it already looks dull" Elena said as she set the sword down next to her

"Maybe you should talk to Namir about getting a new set of blades. We've been using a new metal compound that's lighter and doesn't dull as easily as the old league's metal" Nyssa said as she sat next to Elena "Give me your arm"

Elena held her arm out and Nyssa took it in her own. She carefully removed the top off the vial and poured the small portion of water over the burn. As the last of the water dripped of Elena's arm, the burn seemed to vanish.

"I will never get used to seeing this stuff work" Elena said as she dried her arm with her other sleeve

"Same, this stuff is pretty neat" Nyssa said with a small laugh as she set down the vial "So back on topic, what's going on with the order?"

"Right, so I noticed that on the 'vigilantes' armor, there was a crest that belonged to the celestial order. We tried to take one hostage for interrogation but they escaped; however, they did say something along the lines of 'this is a warning' like they were going to attack Finiks Jurf or a team"

"You said that a lead led you here. What did you find?"

"I believe the celestial order has a base of operations here in Star City because they're looking to go after you"

"Do you have any idea what we could have done to lead to this?"

"There was an extraction a couple months ago where these vigilantes showed up. They kept getting in the way so we gave their team a warning but they came back again and we were forced to take them out"

"So the celestial order, that we were going to try and make an alliance with, is trying to go after the league because we killed off one of their teams. How many people were on this team?"

"It was a large mission to them so there was a total of eighty order assassins. We only had a team of thirty but we were able to take them out. They were skilled, but still needed work. No doubt that they've bettered their techniques and that's why they're after us now"

"Okay then. I'll get back to Finiks Jurf and take care of it" Nyssa started, but was cut off quickly

"No! Don't leave Star City"

"Why not? I'm needed in Finiks Jurf"

"No, you're not. When they're after 'the league', they're going after you since you're the head and creator. You need to stay here and protect Oliver and William and for god's sake, don't let them get involved or it may end up being a bigger problem than what it starts out to be"

"So you want me to just….not tell them…like the whole sword collection thing?"

"Unfortunately, yes…"

"I shouldn't keep this from Oliver. He'll want to know so he can protect our family"

"But by telling him, you would be adding another burden to his shoulders. He already has to run the city, protect the streets, and provide for his family which may be growing in the next year" Elena said, ending with a smirk

"I get what you're saying, but Oliver can handle this"

"Listen to me, please" Elena said, almost in a shout "Find out what you're up against first, then decide if you should tell them"

Nyssa was silent. She didn't want to keep another secret from Oliver, especially since they promised to each other that there wouldn't be any secrets in between them, but deep down, she knew that Elena was right. Putting another burden on Oliver's shoulders was something that could just bring him crashing to the ground, especially with re-elections coming up.

"O-okay…I'll take a look into it first…" Nyssa started "Do you have a lead on their location?"

"Yeah, actually" Elena started "Would you be willing to check it out tonight?"

"Sure, but who's watching over Finiks Jurf right now?"

"It's a tag team between Namir and my husband, Andrew. They usually take that role when I'm out on missions and you're somewhere else"

"Okay then, sure. Let's hit this tonight"

"Great, do you have a com system we can use?"

"Yeah, we can get those set up, then head out"

Nyssa led Elena out of the room and they walked into the bunker, but were incredibly surprised to see who was in there. Standing with the rest of the team were Lenora and Jacob, both dressed in their armor. Lenora's armor was still the same, but Nyssa noticed that Jacob's was different. He was wearing a set of armor like Lenora's, but it was more masculine and held more visible knives. His color scheme including several different shades of blacks along with a hint of silver here and there

"Lenora, Jacob. You guys got back early" Nyssa said when she and Elena walked towards the team

"Nyssa! Long time no see!" Lenora said as she pulled her into a hug "How's life treating you?"

"Quite well, thank you. How was the honeymoon?"

"It was amazing! We went down to Easter Island, Switzerland, Morocco, Ethiopia, Yemen, and India!"

"And did you find the best fries?"

"Yeah, I actually found that the Swiss make excellent French fries and their waffle fries are AMAZING!" Lenora laughed "Jacob can agree with me too"

"It's true, those fries were amazing" Jacob smiled

"So it seems that you got some new armor as well" Nyssa pointed out "It looks really nice"

"Oh, yeah. We found a former league member and blacksmith in India and he offered to help me make something a bit more personalized and I have to say, it works very well. I tried it on some thieves in Yemen and they were running for their mothers" Jacob laughed

"Well that's good to know" Nyssa started "Now if you'll excuse me, there's something I need to do"

Nyssa jumped up to the platform where Katara worked and pulled out two coms from the drawer. She tossed one over to Elena, who put it in her ear after catching it. Nyssa put her own in and activated it. Once it was on, she was able to make a private channel between the two of them.

"Alright, let's get going" Elena said as she started walking towards the exit

"I'll meet you out there!" Nyssa called as she walked to the other side of the bunker

Nyssa stopped at a small case of arrows and pulled out several explosive arrows that were branded with her colors; black and gold. One thing about that set of arrows was that there was the compressed carbon, but she also added a hint of gunpowder so there was a bigger explosion. She was still putting them in her quiver when Oliver walked up behind her

"So, how about that explanation?"

"Elena and I are going out to confirm if the rumor is true. We should be back in a few hours" Nyssa said as she quickly gave Oliver a kiss goodbye "This is probably all just a misunderstanding"

"Okay then…don't be long" Oliver said as he watched Nyssa run out of the bunker

"Where's she going?" William asked as he took his place next to his dad

"I'm not sure. She's going to chase down a rumor but she should be back in the next few hours"

-(=+=)-

"So this place is in the glades?" Nyssa asked over her com as she ran across rooftops

"Yeah, it's actually in an abandoned mansion. The order is using it as a general meeting place so we can pick up some intel if they're there or if they're not" Elena replied

"I think I see it"

"What do you see?"

"A large, brown brick wall and a dried up pool. There's a broken glass door that we can enter through"

"Alright, you're in the back. I was on the right. I'll meet you south of the pool"

Nyssa extended her arm out and flipped up a little cover on her bracer, revealing a small compass. Namir had recommended that all Phoenix League bracers have a built in compass so directions could stay clear. Nyssa moved her armor around slightly until she found north. Once the direction was found, she jumped down from the rooftop she was on and headed towards the south side of the pool, where she saw Elena flipping up her hood and mask.

"There's a hidden basement entrance hidden in those trees over there. I recommend we go in there with weapons drawn but I would recommend trying to hold back from using the sword magic and such" Elena advised

"Sounds fair. Rush in on my signal" Nyssa said as she drew an explosive arrow from her quiver and nocked it.

The two assassins snuck through some bushes until they were a couple yards away from the hidden door to the basement. Elena pulled up her hood and drew her swords while Nyssa aimed her arrow at the door. She waited a few moments before nodding to Elena. As soon as Elena started running towards the door, Nyssa released the arrow. The explosive arrow flew past Elena and landed in the middle of the door. On impact, the door exploded into small pieces like shattered glass.

Elena jumped through the opening and Nyssa jumped in after her. When the dust cleared from the door, Elena could see several masked assassins dressed in white, gold, and black armor surrounding a large table with several maps laid out. All the assassins turned to see the two intruders, but they weren't fast enough to stop the barrage of arrows that Nyssa started firing at them. Four of the assassins were knocked down right before the fight even begun.

"It seems that some phoenix assassins have joined us" One of the assassin said, who had a three golden strips on the sleeves of their armor "Why don't we give them a warm welcome"

The white assassins all drew out a sword from their back and ran towards Nyssa and Elena. Nyssa threw her bow to the side and ran towards the assassins with her sword. Elena was already in a fight with six of the assassins.

Nyssa ran towards the other eight and they quickly surrounded her. Nyssa started swinging her sword from side to side, giving slashes to as many assassins as she could. The white assassins did their best to take down the phoenix and ended up getting a few hits on her as well.

The fight dragged on and they were reaching a stalemate. Nyssa didn't want to have this fight end by one of them dropping from exhaustion so she gave her sword a quick twirl, making the blade light up with a purple flame.

The white assassins all stepped back for a brief moment, but then came charging at Nyssa once again. Nyssa ran towards them and started taking the assassins down one by one, like she was knocking down dominos.

All eight of the assassins Nyssa had been fighting had fallen, except for one, which was cowering by a wall, waiting for an opening. Nyssa shot them a cold glare, then ran towards them and pinned them up against the wall

"Where can I find your leader?!" Nyssa shouted at them

"You'll never find them, not even your leader will" The assassin sneered

Nyssa twirled her blade again and the purple flames extinguished themselves and a black mist appeared. She pressed it up against the assassin's neck and she could see the life slowly leaving his eyes, putting them through agony.

"I'll ask you again! Where is your leader?!"

"I-Isfara! Menae is in Isfara!" The assassin cried out over their pain

"Vasha usluga byla otsenena (Your service has been appreciated)" Nyssa said right before driving the sword through the assassin's chest

The white assassin fell to the ground when Nyssa released her grip on him. His white, gold and black tunic was stained crimson.

"Looks like we're going to Isfara" Elena choked out from behind

Nyssa spun around to see her right hand leaning up against the table with her swords in one hand while the other clutched her side where a large splotch of crimson was slowly growing.

"Oh my god, Elena!" Nyssa shouted as she ran over to her sister (Sister in arms, no more of this _yeah, she's actually your half-sister but I killed her mother and she was an orphan_ type of thing…..for now)

Nyssa reached her arm underneath Elena's and guided her down to the floor where the bodies of white assassins weren't located. Once Elena was sitting down, Nyssa reached into her boot and pulled out a black vial from the safe.

"Get your armor off" Nyssa said as she took Elena's swords from her hand

Elena did as told and took off her outer coat, then pulled up the side of her kevlar lined tunic. Nyssa pulled the top off the vial and poured the contents on the large sword wound on Elena's side. As the last of the water dripped from the vial, the wound healed itself completely.

"Thanks…but now you don't have any for the bunker. I could have handled it" Elena said as she put her outer coat back on

"I'll get more from Finiks Jurf and no, you weren't going to be fine. You were coughing up blood" Nyssa replied as she handed Elena the two sheaths to the dual swords

"So when are you going to get more then?"

"We're going to Finiks Jurf, right now"

"Is this about the order?"

"This obviously goes deeper than the killing of a troop and I'd like to hit the library and see what I can find"

"How do you know?"

"Look at those papers on the table"

Elena walked over to the table and saw a messed up pile of papers lying on top of a map, which was printed on burned parchment. She picked up a piece of paper with a list of dates on it.

"Okay, there are some dates. Do these have any significance?" Elena asked

"Yeah, let me show you" Nyssa said as she took the paper from Elena. "August 7th, 1723-The day my father became Ra's. February 25th, 1754-The day the fourth league war ended. January 12th, 1862-The day the league first interfered with the American Civil War"

"Okay, so we've got a bunch of dates from the old league but how does this relate to the Phoenix league?"

"March 4th, 1952-Talia's birthday. May 10th, 1985-My birthday. April 24th, 2015-The day I disbanded the old league. January 28th, 2017-The day I created Sayf Min Al'akwan and assembled the Phoenix League…." Nyssa started as she stared at the paper "April 3rd, 2017 isn't on here"

"April 3rd, that's the day we had to kill off that troop"

"Exactly. This isn't about the troop, but more like my family's ascension into power" Nyssa said as she collected the papers on the table "We're going back to Finiks Jurf and I'm going to find what I can about the order"

"Alright, I'll help out"

"No, you've done enough for today. You should get some rest and see your beloved"

"What about yours and your son?"

"I'll take care of it, just gather as many papers as you can"

Elena did as asked and started rolling up the marked maps. Nyssa stepped to the side of the room and pressed a small button on the side of her com. The line went dead for a few seconds before someone answered.

"Nyssa? Are you still out there? It's getting late and we were getting worried" Oliver said when he picked up

"We ran into a slight problem, but I'm going back to Finiks Jurf to get this all figured out. You and William should head home, I'll probably be back tomorrow morning"

"What kind of problem? You said this was a misunderstanding and that you would get it cleared up. Did you lie to me?"

"I thought it was a misunderstanding but the league is being threatened and I can't leave this unattended"

"William and I can help out then. We'll meet you at the bunker and help you with whatever it is that needs to be done"

"You know I love you, more than life itself, right?"

"I'd never forget it"

"Then I can't have you come with me. Besides, William's still a kid and he shouldn't have to worry about this stuff" Nyssa started "The best thing you can do right now is go home with William and get some rest. I'll be home soon"

"O-okay….Nyssa?"

"Yes beloved?"

"You promise that you'll come home this time, right?"

"What's with you and promises?" Nyssa laughed a little "I promise that I'll be home when the sun rises in the morning"

"And you keep your promises…that's why" Oliver said with a small bit of sadness in his voice "I'll be here when you return"

"Thank you beloved"

Nyssa turned her com off and turned back to Elena, who had collected all the papers from the tables and had them in her hands

"Are you ready to go?" Nyssa asked

"Yeah, I think I got it all" Elena said as she walked to Nyssa's side

Nyssa smiled back at her, then created the ring of fire and the phoenix that would take them home. Nyssa couldn't help but smile when the orange and red beast looked down at them without a hint of darkness in its eyes. The phoenix let out a soft cry, then started to circle around Nyssa and Elena. The blinding light appeared and the warm rush of air let them know that they were back home.

Nyssa and Elena both opened their eyes and saw they were inside the entrance hall by the pools. To Nyssa's surprise, she saw Ishaq and Zayn kneeling by the side of the pools. Both of them must have felt the warm rush of air blow through the room because they turned around and both of their eyes lit up.

"Thank god you're alright, Nyssa! Last time I saw you, you were unconscious on the runway. You didn't check in after that and we didn't know what happened" Zayn said as he got up from the side of the pool and pulled Nyssa into a friendly hug

"Um…thank you for the concern, but I'm fine. Thank you for helping Elena with that whole situation" Nyssa said as Zayn let her go. "I need to get to the library, I'll see you all later"

"Are you going back to Star City after that?" Ishaq asked

"Yeah, my beloved is worried sick, especially after I told him that I was coming here tonight. I'll be returning again within the next two days or so" Nyssa said as she took the papers and maps from Elena "Elena, please go get some rest"

"Don't worry, I'll make sure that happens" A voice echoed from the entrance of the hall

Nyssa turned around to see a man with red brown hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and hazel eyes approaching them. He was dressed in the traditional league armor with the golden phoenix insignia on the outer coat.

"Good to see you, Andrew. I know Elena will respond to you" Nyssa smiled

"Likewise. It's good having you back" Andrew replied, then turned to his wife "So, do you want to get some dinner and head to bed?"

"That sounds nice, let's do it" Elena said as she started walking out of the hall with her husband

Nyssa watched as Elena and Andrew walked outside of the hall, then turned back and started her own walk to the library. Ishaq had reported that the library had been finished and that all the books, scrolls, artifacts, and other information from Nanda Parbat had been transported to Finiks Jurf.

The library was just a couple hallways down from the entrance hall and when Nyssa walked inside, her jaw practically dropped to the floor. She didn't think it was possible to make the library as beautiful as it was. The library was made up of a main floor, then a second floor with a giant hole in the middle, where a large candle chandelier hung down from the high ceiling. There were several dark bookshelves in the room and a couple desks around the room. Every inch of bookshelf was filled with books of different shapes and colors, and all in different languages.

Nyssa walked over to a table tucked in a corner and set all the papers and maps down that were collected back in Star City. She spread them out and started reading what was written and memorized a good collection of the dates. There were some that were happened before her father became Ra's, so Nyssa walked through the library until she found a old, but very large, book containing every semi-important date in the league's history. She went back to the table and opened the book until she found the first date listed on the paper; November 2nd, 1470 B.C-The foundation of the league

-(=+=)-

"Wait, Dad, why aren't we waiting at the bunker for Nyssa?" William asked as they walked into the penthouse

"She called and said something popped up and she had to get back to Finiks Jurf and take care of it before it got out of hand. She's alright and said she'd be back here when the sun rises in the morning" Oliver replied

"So what do we do until she gets back?"

"She asked that we both get some sleep"

"That's no fun…" William groaned slightly

"It's already eleven o'clock at night, William. You should have been in bed already"

"Okay, but can you make pancakes in the morning?"

"Sure, I think it would be nice to have a little breakfast with the family. Should we invite Thea over too?"

"Sorry Dad, but I think it should just be the three of us. A bit last minute, don't you think?"

"I suppose you have a point" Oliver laughed a little "Good night William"

"Night Dad"

William walked into his bedroom and closed the door behind him. Oliver walked to his bedroom as well, but he didn't go to get ready right away. Instead, he sat on the edge of his bed and pulled out his phone. He set an alarm for six in the morning, which was when the sun would be rising. After the alarm was set, he walked into the bathroom and took a quick shower. Once he was all cleaned up, he crawled underneath the covers and hoped he would fall asleep rather quickly

-(=+=)-

Nyssa was still in the library, looking through the league's history book and marking up several different maps. She had pulled out a blank notebook and started filling it with information she was finding about each date or location mentioned in one of the events. Nyssa also looked into Isfara but didn't find much. Her final job was to look into the Celestial order as a whole, so she went back to the shelf and started looking for anything that could have to do with secret leagues, allies, enemies, or other orders.

Around twenty minutes of skimming the shelves passed before a book caught her eye. It had a dark spine, but there were silver embellishments that matched the silver writing that read 'tarikh alnizam alqadim' (History of the Ancient Order written in Arabic). Nyssa eyes widened as she took the book off the shelf and walked back to the table where all her work was laid out.

She quickly set the book down on the table and picked the lock that was sealing the pages away. There was a small click and Nyssa pulled the lock away. She carefully opened the book to the first page and started reading. It seemed pretty normal, so she kept going.

She was only about ten pages in when she noticed that the middle of the pages were getting thinner. Nyssa carefully flipped the next few pages, then something caught her off guard. In the middle of the book, the pages were cut out to fit the stone that was nestled into the pages. The stone seemed very familiar, seeing as it was the colors of the bridge so Nyssa reached her hand towards it. Her fingertip had barely touched the stone when a blinding white light shot out in all directions. Nyssa closed her eyes and felt a cold breeze, then opened her eyes.

Nyssa looked around and saw that she was in the bridge, and then dread filled her entire body. She looked around for any signs of life; a person, a ghost, an animal, or even a sound but there was nothing; just a grassy field and a sky filled with blues, purples and pinks.

"No…I-I can't be…not again…" Nyssa muttered as she spun around frantically, looking for a way back

"Do not fear, my child. You are not dead" A familiar and warm voice called from behind her

Nyssa turned around and saw none other than her old friend, Fayiz, and her father. Ra's looked….happy, which was strange but comforting to the phoenix.

"W-what am I doing here? A bit of explanation would go a long way" Nyssa said as she started walking towards the two of them

"You needed us, so we brought you here" Fayiz said to her "But first, I want to complement you on what you're doing with the league. I expected great things from you and you haven't failed to deliver"

"Um, thank you…but what do you mean by I needed you"

"You called us and instead of coming to your world, we brought you here"

"Are you talking about that stone? The one in the history book?" Nyssa asked with an eyebrow raised

"Precisely. That stone works in similar ways to the one on that necklace I gave you when we first met" Fayiz started "Now, you needed help with the Celestial order"

"I suppose I could use some guidance. Do you know anything about them or why they're after the league?" Nyssa asked

"Quite a lot actually" Ra's added in with a tone like he was distant

"Father, you are using that distant tone again…like the one you used when you told me I had a sister who abandoned me" Nyssa asked, a tad nervously

"Please, prepare yourself for what I am about to tell you" Ra's said, then paused for a moment "The Celestial order was created by my father's competition to become Ra's. They were originally keeping themselves hidden in the shadows, but they have resurfaced when I became Ra's"

"I read a bunch of dates written down on a piece of paper. All of them had to so with you or our family, or a very large event with the league. Do they have something to do with it?"

"Yes, every one of those dates is a time when the league became slightly vulnerable. The order was looking for a time to strike, but they had never found one. They kept trying and trying to hit, but they never came close….until now"

"And why's that?"

"Their leader had been blinded by rage. He learned that his twin sister had been taken by the league and vowed to get his vengeance by bringing their leader to their knees"

"How long ago did this decision take place?"

"Fourteen years ago"

"So why are there dates from back in November, 1470 B.C? That obviously wasn't in the time range"

"You're right, but the order has been trying to find a pattern in the vulnerability from past events. As far as I know, they haven't found any to use against the league"

"Okay, so how do I stop them before this gets out of hand?" Nyssa asked a tad frantically

"To stop them, you need to understand" Ra's said as he started walking away, motioning for Nyssa to follow him.

Nyssa followed behind her father over a grassy hill until they reached a wooden stump with a crystal clear diamond on top.

"This is _hajar aldhikriat_. It lets those who use it understand what is blocking them from moving forward of completing a certain task" Ra's explained "I want you to use it"

"What am I going to see?" Nyssa asked

"There's no telling, but I know this is what you need to do" Ra's replied

He could see his daughter was hesitant, so he carefully reached for her hand and moved it towards the stone. He could feel her hand shaking slightly, so he looked over to her

"You have nothing to fear. This will bring you clarity"

"I-it's strange…coming from y-you" Nyssa muttered

Ra's didn't waste another second. He placed Nyssa's hand on the diamond and her eyes widened when she touched it, as if she had just seen something that would change her life…

(Inside Nyssa's head/What she's seeing….)

 _Nyssa was herself in a ghostly form in the middle of a dark and starry sky. There was no sounds and nothing in front of her, until everything started taking the form of a house. Nyssa found herself inside a humble, wooden house that was quiet only for a split second. She heard the wail of a woman and walked towards the room where it was coming from. Nyssa was able to push the door open slightly and saw a woman with dark hair and olive skin in the middle of labor. Nyssa watched as the midwife urged the woman to give a final push. The woman did as asked, then the cry of a baby could be heard. Nyssa couldn't help but smile when she saw another lady hold up the small boy that had just been welcomed into the world, then place it in the mother's arms._

 _"_ _Dakota….his name will be Dakota…." The woman said in between deep breaths._

 _There was a loud knock on the door and the woman's eyes widened._

 _"_ _Go! Get him out of here and far away!" The woman said as she passed her newborn child back to one of the midwives._

 _The midwife took the small child and wrapped him in a wool blanket. She grabbed a small bag from beside the back door and ran out of the house with the small child in hand, and right in the nick of time._

 _A man dressed in a dark green robe with a large sword at his side walked into the room where the woman was. Nyssa could recognize that man from anywhere….her father._

 _Nyssa watched as the man walked towards the woman and took her hand into his own._

 _"_ _Asteria, you're doing perfectly…" Nyssa's father whispered_

 _"_ _I'm glad you're here…I couldn't do this alone" Asteria said in between deep breaths_

 _The midwife instructed Asteria to start pushing again and another wail echoed throughout the house. A few minutes later, the midwife was holding up another child, but this time it was a little girl. The midwife put the child on the mother's chest and she couldn't help but cry tears of joy._

 _"_ _You did wonderful my dear…she's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen" Ra's said as he let the newborn blindly grab onto his fingers_

 _"_ _Look at her….you can tell by the way she smiles, she's going to be a messenger of great happiness" Asteria cried_

 _Before the young child's father could reply, the woman started seizing. The midwife rushed over and tried to stop it, but she couldn't do anything when the woman fell limp less than thirty seconds later. The midwife checked for a pulse, then turned to Ra's_

 _"_ _I'm sorry….she's gone…there was too much stress on her body…." The midwife said in a tone full of sorrow_

 _"_ _Asteria…no…" Ra's muttered as he held on to the small newborn, then looked down at her with tears in his eyes "Nyssa…her name will be Nyssa Asteria Raatko"_

(Meanwhile, back at the bridge…)

Nyssa's eyes shot open and she stumbled away from the stone. Sweat was beading up on her forehead as she looked back between Fayiz, Ra's, and the stone.

"I-I-I h-have a twin b-brother…" Nyssa muttered

"I'm sorry you're just now finding out, but I didn't know of this until Fayiz showed me" Ra's admitted as he walked over to his daughter

"S-she gave the child away…because she was afraid of what you would do to him…" Nyssa muttered

"It pains me more than you know...to find out that I've had a son all this time" Ra's said

"Why are you showing this to me now…."

"Because your brother, Dakota, is the leader of the Celestial order and you are the one he has been looking for all these years" Ra's said as he reached his arm out towards his daughter

Nyssa grabbed his arm and stopped it midair before it could touch her. Ra's was able to see her eyes now; Full of confusion and sadness

"I can understand why he would want to get me back from what you had me do, but why would he attack me and the league?!" Nyssa almost shouted

"Because he doesn't know you lead the Phoenix League and all he wants to do is get his sister back" Ra's said as he gently freed his arm from Nyssa's grip

The infamous church bells echoed through the sky, meaning that their time was up.

"Stay safe my child..." Ra's said as he watched Nyssa fade back into the real world

Nyssa's eyes shot open from her position at the table and the phoenix shot out from behind her and flew into the air, then out of the library before Nyssa could notice. She picked her hand up from the bridge stone and stumbled back from the table. She kept falling back until her back hit the wall and she slid down it.

Nyssa stared blankly at the smooth stone floor beneath her and put her head in her hand, trying to cover up the confusion, sadness, and guilt spread across. She could feel her sweat and tears on her hand, but didn't care. All she could think about at that moment, was that she had a brother…a twin brother, who she was only finding out about now. Where was Oliver when she need him?

 **Author's Note: Okay Y'all! Sorry for the later chapter, but times work strangely. Anyway, this is the longest chapter to date from Scratched Silver AND Life's Ripples so yay! Second, I thought of this while trying to go to sleep and I was like 'OH MY GOD THAT'S IT!' So that's where this whole thing came from! Hope you all liked this because I am going to have SOOOO much fun writing the next chapter! And don't worry, the wedding is coming up soon but I wanted to touch up on this first**


	5. The Wedding

**Author's Note: Alright, I'm REALLY going to screw with the storyline, but probably only for this chapter. So Dig and Lyla have both JJ AND baby Sara! This is only because I could not think of set of kids to act as the flower girl and ring bearer so that is how this brain child came to life. This is probably going to be a temporary thing unless I decided to later screw with Flashpoint, which is probably going to happen in the near future...**

Nyssa had been sitting on the floor of the library with her head in her hand for several hours now. She had just been trying to figure out what she was just told, but wasn't managing to wrap her head around it. What she did know was that she needed to find Dakota before he went after the league and put an end to it.

A small chiming echoed throughout the library twice. Nyssa picked her head up and looked over at the clock which read one in the morning. Nyssa remembered that sun rise in Star City was at three o'clock over here, so she slowly got up from the ground and walked over to the table. She gathered all the papers, maps, books, and notebooks she had been using, then walked upstairs to her room. Nyssa put all the information regarding the order on her bookshelf, then walked over to a small set of drawers and pulled out a set of normal clothing. She got changed into it, and put her armor in a bag.

Once all that was taken care of, Nyssa walked into the middle of the room and created the ring of fire and phoenix, which brought her into the middle of the living room of the penthouse.

When Nyssa opened her eyes after feeling the rush of warm air, she set her bag of armor down by the side of the room, then quietly walked towards her and Oliver's bedroom. She peaked her head inside and saw Oliver all spread out on the bed, taking up his own side and hers.

Nyssa tried to force a smile seeing her beloved so comfortable, but nothing came. She back towards the living room, but not without stopping by William's room. She looked inside the bedroom and saw William sleeping in a curled up position and heard the slightest snore.

After seeing that her boys were fast asleep, Nyssa walked back into the living room and sat down on the couch. She tried getting into a comfortable position and falling asleep, but she couldn't fall asleep after everything that had just happened. Several times she tried to shift her position, but the insomnia was too strong.

Almost an hour passed when Nyssa finally gave up. She got up from the couch and walked over to her bag of armor and picked up her sheathed sword. She slid it half way out of the sheath and looked down at the silver blade, then out the large windows of the living room. Nyssa slid the sword back into the sheath and quickly put on her armor.

Once all her armor was on, Nyssa pulled her hood and veil up, then quietly walked towards her and Oliver's balcony. She carefully walked into the room and slipped past the bed. Nyssa reached for the handle to the French doors and pushed it down. She heard Oliver stir so she quickly pull the door open and jumped up on the roof

Oliver woke up from his peaceful dream, swearing that he heard someone messing with the balcony doors. He glanced over in that direction and saw that everything was in order. Oliver also glanced down to the side of the bed where Nyssa usually slept, but he was surprised to see that she wasn't there. He got out of bed and walked over to the dresser, where his phone was sitting. Oliver picked it up and dialed Nyssa's number, hoping that she would pick up. There was a few seconds that past before Oliver heard the echo of a phone ringing. It was coming from the living room so Oliver quietly walked out of his room and into the area where the ringing was coming from.

Oliver walked into the living room and looked around the room. He called Nyssa's phone again when he didn't see anyone in the house, then heard the ringing again. He walked over to a duffle bag in the corner and pulled out Nyssa's phone.

After seeing the duffle bag and Nyssa's phone, Oliver concluded that she was back in Star City and that she was in the penthouse, but he had no idea where she was now. The idea of her being out in the city alone scared Oliver just the slightest, so he walked into William's room and left him a note saying he'd be back soon, then walked back to his room and found his own duffle bag with his suit in it. He quickly put the Green Arrow suit on, then made his way onto the roof and into the city.

-(=+=)-

Nyssa practically flew across the top of skyscrapers in the heavily populated area of Star City. It was still dark outside, and it was a warm, clear summer night, making it the perfect time to do one of the things Nyssa loved most; watch a sunrise

Nyssa ran across the top of Kord Industries until she reached the edge, where she slowed her run. There was only one building that was taller than Kord and that was Bariq MS. Nyssa was about to see the building from the top of Kord, so she shot a grappling arrow into the air and watched as it buried itself on the side of the building. Nyssa secured the arrow to her bow, then jumped off the roof and started falling in the air. Before she could hit the ground, Nyssa pushed herself off the building with a quick gust of air, then swung up the cable and was pulled up to the roof of Bariq MS.

Once she was on stable ground again, Nyssa pulled her arrow out of the side of the building and destroyed it. When the evidence was cleared away, Nyssa started walking towards the east side of the building, where she could have a perfect view of the rising sun, which was barley emerging from the horizon.

Nyssa knelt down to the ground and sat down on the edge of the building so her legs were dangling off the side. She was watching the first bit of morning light break through the dark navy sky when she heard a chirp echo from behind her. Nyssa turned her head and saw a phoenix the size of a bald eagle fly towards her. The phoenix stuck it's talons out and landed on Nyssa's left shoulder. She looked over at the phoenix and smiled. The phoenix's bright orange and red figure looks as if it were on fire, but it didn't burn Nyssa when she reached out to it and ran the side of her finger along its neck, making the phoenix produce a sound like a purr. Nyssa could feel the long, feathery tail of the majestic bird cascade down her back.

"You're the phoenix…aren't you?" Nyssa whispered as she continued to pet the phoenix

The bird let gave a small nod and out a small chirp in reply.

"You shouldn't just be called 'the phoenix'. You need a name…." Nyssa said as she turned back towards the sun "Nuriel…that should be your name"

The phoenix seemed to smile when she mentioned the name and she even extended her grand wings, letting Nyssa see all the fiery feathers.

"You really are a beautiful bird" Nyssa whispered as she watched the growing, morning light in the distance

-(=+=)-

Oliver ran across rooftops, trying to find out if Nyssa had even come out. The sun was just starting to rise, which meant Nyssa should have been home by now. Oliver had kept his phone on him just in case, but he doubted Nyssa would call him if she was out.

Oliver jumped up to the rooftop of Kord Industries and started looking around. He didn't see anything at first, but then he caught sight of a dark, masked figure sitting on the roof of Bariq MS with a bird that looked to be on fire. Oliver shot a grapling arrow towards the other roof and instead of sliding down it, Oliver ran across it like it was a tightrope.

Soon, Oliver was safely on the roof of Bariq MS and started walking towards the figure. He could tell is was Nyssa once he was able to see the sword that was being held on her back. He could also see that Nyssa was petting the fiery bird as if there wasn't a single care in the world.

"Nyssa? What are you doing down here?" Oliver asked as he walked up behind her

As soon as she heard her name, Oliver could see her tense up immediately and she stopped petting the phoenix's neck.

"O-Oliver…w-what are you doing here?" Nyssa stammered as she slowly moved her fingers away from the phoenix

"You weren't home and I found your bag at home, so I knew you were going to be out here" Oliver said as he sat down next to Nyssa "How did the research in Finiks Jurf go?"

"I-I-it w-went….it went well" Nyssa stammered

"Nyssa? What's going on? You don't stammer unless something's wrong" Oliver said as he turned towards his left so he could face her

"Everything's fine, just tired"

"Then why didn't you come home and get some sleep? You know it's your bedroom too and it's your bed too"

"Yes, but when I stopped in there, you were all spread out and looked comfortable. You don't get to sleep like that so often so I wanted to leave you be"

"Okay then…but why didn't you at least stay at home and get some rest of your own?"

"Insomnia...I came here to clear my head"

"What's keeping you up?"

Nyssa was silent for a moment. She knew exactly why she wasn't falling asleep….Dakota, but she didn't know how to tell Oliver, especially when he was leading an order whose purpose is to destroy the league to get his sister back.

"I-I'm not sure" Nyssa said as she leaned her head down slightly

"I think I know what it is" Oliver said as he relaxed a little after putting his arm around Nyssa, but also making sure not to disturb the phoenix that was on her other shoulder

"What do you think it is? Because it would really help if I could know"

"I believe you know what it is"

"Honestly beloved, I've got so many things I'm thinking about. Can you please just tell me?"

"The wedding. It's only two days away" Oliver said with a small laugh "Honestly, I'm quite nervous as well. I'm surprised I got to sleep last night after I spent a portion of it pacing"

"Yeah, I think you're right" Nyssa said with a relieved laugh.

Being a nervous bride made for the perfect cover story, at least until she could figure out how to tell Oliver and how to protect the league.

"When is Mr. Harper getting into town?" Nyssa asked as she watched Nuriel jump down from her shoulder and land into her lap

"He's supposed to be flying in this morning. He said that when he gets in, he will meet us at Amanoniwa for the rehearsal dinner tonight" Oliver started "So what about Elena?"

"I'll be bringing her and her husband in later tonight. I told her to get some rest last night. She's been working so hard and deserves it"

"Excellent. The city's has been incredibly generous in giving me the next two and a half weeks off so I can spend time with you after the wedding"

"I can't believe I didn't ask this sooner, but where will William be going?"

"William is going to be at the wedding, of course, but once we leave for the honeymoon, he's going to be staying with Dig, Lyla, JJ and Sara. Tom, Jasper, Kaida, Monica, Zoe and him are all going to be hanging out together almost on a daily basis so that's what he will be doing"

"Alright, I just want to make sure he's happy with all of this. I don't want him feeling unloved or left out during this transition"

"Don't worry about it. William understands this completely and it actually really excited for the wedding. He was actually the one who helped me pick out the suites and tie color"

"Thea told me that in America, it was mostly the future bride's job to pick the color scheme. I'm starting to think you're the bride and you should wear my dress down the isle" Nyssa laughed

"I could never to the dress justice. You however, are a different story. That dress would never be able to do you justice"

"Aww, you treat me too well beloved"

"You're my fiancé and wife. I believe I don't treat you well enough"

"Right, the league wedding" Nyssa sighed as she continued to stroke the bird on her lap

"You never did mention why there's a phoenix on your lap" Oliver laughed a little as he extended his arm towards the bird

"Oh, yeah" Nyssa smiled "Oliver, this is Nuriel. She's the actual phoenix"

"Is she like you're spirit animal?"

"What's a spirit animal? Is it something from American literature?"

"It's an animal that represents your personality the best. I can see how yours would be a phoenix"

"I still don't understand completely, but alright" Nyssa started "We should be getting back. William should be waking up soon"

"You're right, we should go" Oliver said as he jumped up to his feet.

Nuriel picked herself up from Nyssa's lap and flew up into the sky, then burst into flames when she got near the sun. Oliver offered his hand to Nyssa and when she had taken it, Oliver started to pull her to her feet. Nyssa rose from the ground, but when she tried to reposition her footing, her left foot slipped a little. If Oliver weren't holding on to her, she would have fallen off the side of the building, but he was quicker than gravity. When he saw Nyssa's foot slip, he quickly grabbed on to her waist and whisked her off the edge and onto stable ground.

"Oh my god, Nyssa! Are you alright!?" Oliver asked frantically as he grabbed her shoulders

"I-I'm fine…just wasn't paying attention is all" Nyssa replied

"I've seen you nervous and I've seen you distracted. What's keeping you distracted?"

"It's nothing…I-It's not important right now"

"Nyssa, please" Oliver almost pleaded "Whatever you tell me will not change how I look at you"

Oliver looked down into Nyssa's eyes, which were now glistening with tears which actually confused him a bit.

"Nyssa? What's wrong?"

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't tell you before because I thought I was protecting you and William from them, but it's killing me to keep this to myself and not have any help" Nyssa cried

"What do you mean? Is this that misunderstanding that you and Elena chased down last night?"

"It wasn't a misunderstanding! There's a group of people that's been after the league and I for fourteen years ago and they are rising up again for another hit! I don't know how to protect you, William, the team, Star City, the entire league, and all the troops I have stationed around the world….they're all in danger because of my father and I…."

"Hey, hey, hey" Oliver said as he gently picked Nyssa's chin up with his hand "This isn't your fault. We can figure this out, together….because I won't stop until you are safe"

Oliver removed his hand from underneath Nyssa's chin and gently pulled her hood back, then her veil. Once her face was completely revealed to him, Oliver took off his own hood and mask. He looked down at Nyssa, then pulled her closer to him. She buried her head into his chest and Oliver wrapped his arms around her back.

"You're going to be alright…." Oliver said quietly as he held onto her

"Thank you" Nyssa whispered

"You don't need to thank me for anything….I'm always going to be here for you"

-(=+=)-

An assassin dressed in white, gold and black, carrying an enevelope walked down the hallway of a Tajik castle, hidden in the Tien Shan mountains. The assassin approached a large set of wooden doors which were being guarded by two more assassins. The two guards opened the doors for the assassin when he approached. The assassin walked inside the room, which almost looked like a medieval tactic room and office combined, and stopped in front of the desk where a man dressed in dusty blue armor with a red sash and several belts sat

"Sir, we have retrieved the information you seek" The assassin said as he handed the man at the desk the envelope

"Good" The man at the desk said as he took the paper out of the envelop and read what was printed "Well what do you know….Nyssa Raatko is the phoenix"

"My liege, shall I prepare a plane for your departure to Star City?" The assassin asked

"Prepare the plane and have it ready to depart within the hour" The man said.

The assassin nodded, and walked out of the room, leaving the armored man alone. The man walked over to one of the windows in his office and looked out of it. From his position, he could see several of his assassins sparring outside in the dusty court yard, even though it was almost ninety eight degrees outside.

"It's time for my sister to come home and once I find her, you will suffer for keeping me. I swear on my life, Nyssa Raatko" The man muttered

-(=+=)-

"I can't believe the day passed by so quickly" Nyssa said as she pulled her dress of a hanger

"Yeah, it really does go by quickly when you enjoy it" Oliver said as he put on his tie

Nyssa walked into the bathroom and slipped on her dress. She walked out a minute later with the dark red, knee high, one shoulder dress

"Beloved, can you zip me up?" Nyssa asked as she turned around

Oliver walked up behind her and Nyssa moved her hair to the side so it wouldn't get caught in the zipped. Oliver slowly zipped up the back of the dress and when the zipper reached the top, he bent down slightly and kissed the side of Nyssa's neck

"Did I do it correctly?" Oliver whispered against her neck

"It was better than perfect" Nyssa said as she turned around and pulled Oliver into a kiss

"Dig told me that we're supposed to wait until the wedding" Oliver smirked as they pulled away

"I'm willing to break the rules if you are" Nyssa said as she pulled him into another kiss

Right as they pulled away again, William skidded into the room wearing a suit and black tie with his hair combed back

"C'mon Dad! We're going to be late!" William laughed as he walked into the room "Hey, you two were cheating! Diggle said you can't kiss until the wedding!"

"You can break some rules, especially when you love someone this much" Oliver laughed as he put on his blazer "But you're right, we should get going"

William walked out of the room and towards the door when his dad said this. Oliver reached down and grabbed Nyssa's hand, then walked towards the door with her. The three of them walked out of the penthouse and down towards the area where their car was parked. It was still light outside, which wasn't strange at all since it was only four o'clock and the sun didn't set until nine these days.

Soon enough, Oliver was parking the car outside the black gate to Amanoniwa. He, Nyssa and William all walked through the gate and into the garden, where all the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and other close family members were all gathered.

When the future Queen family walked into the area where everyone else was, the wedding planner walked over to them with a smile on her face.

"Glad to see you made it, and before you're supposed to be here" The wedding planner laughed "We can go ahead and get started if you'd like. Everyone else is already here and we were just waiting for you"

"Excellent, let's get started then" Oliver said

"Alright, can I have bridesmaids over here and groomsmen over here!" The wedding planner called "And where's the ring bearer and flower girl?"

The groomsmen and bridesmaids divided, then Dig sent JJ and Sara running up towards the wedding planner, who welcomed them with open arms.

"Great, let's have groomsmen line up on the right here and bridesmaids on the left with tallest in the back…."

-(=+=)-

The rehearsal for the wedding finished after around two hours later. The caterer had arrived with the food so everyone was enjoying what had been brought. The wedding planner was talking with Elena and her husband while Thea, Lenora, and Jacob all gambled for nothing. Dig and Lyla were trying to get their kids to eat something, but they weren't having it. Finally, Oliver, Nyssa, and Roy were all talking together.

"So what's Hub City like?" Oliver asked as he took a sip of champagne

"Quite nice and peaceful. I've got a small job working at the police department and soon I'm going to be promoted to an officer" Roy replied

"Anyone love interests?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, actually. There's a really nice girl that works as a waiter at the diner just down the street from the station and we've been out a few times. She's really nice and I'd like to spend more time with her" Roy started "How's Thea doing?"

"Well, I believe. She's been dating a guy on my security detail and they get along quite nicely. I'd be nice to see her settle down and be happy with someone, but I'm not quite sure if it should be him yet"

"How long have they been dating?"

"A little over two months. I don't get to spend much time with him since I'm working about eight floors above him, but I still see him every now and then"

"It still kind of hurts, but it's nice to know that Thea and I are capable of living good lives after everything that's happened with and without us"

"Just know that we miss you here in Star. Maybe while we're gone, you can hit the streets with the team. We still have your suit"

"That would actually be a lot of fun. Maybe Thea and I can finally get out together and try tag teaming"

"I think she would like that" Oliver said with a small laugh "Maybe you should go ask her"

"Huh, maybe I'll do that" Roy laughed as he put special emphasis on the 'maybe'

Roy set his glass of champagne down on a table and walked over to Thea. Oliver turned over to Nyssa, who smiled at him when they made eye contact

"So, are you nervous for tomorrow?" Oliver asked

"Not especially. I don't think being nervous will have the same meaning after the Nanda Parbat wedding" Nyssa laughed

"I can agree with you there. I think I shit my pants at the altar" Oliver laughed

"I couldn't stop pacing the night before in fact, I actually thought about jumping off the balcony and making a run for it after I stole a knife" Nyssa laughed as she recalled that night

"Wait, you were going to jump off the balcony just so you didn't have to marry me?"

"My heart still belonged to Sara, even though she was dead"

"Well I'm glad you didn't jump off the balcony because if you did, I wouldn't be able to do this" Oliver said as he placed a kiss on Nyssa's lips

"You have no idea how glad I am that you stopped me from killing you at the altar" Nyssa smirked as they pulled away

"If I recall, that was all an elaborate plan that we came up with the night before"

"Call it what you want, but if you didn't know about it, then I would have killed you for sure"

"How did we get on this topic of killing each other? It's the night before our wedding!" Oliver laughed

"Like you said when you proposed, we aren't normal people"

"Do you want to see why I picked this location for our wedding?" Oliver asked as he took Nyssa's champagne and set it on the table next to his

"Well you just took my champagne so I guess my answer is yes" Nyssa smiled

Oliver smiled back and the two of them walked away from the area of the where they were just at. The area was located on the cobblestone path section that looked like a large stone patio. There were fairy lights that were strung around the circle and some paper lanterns that hung from the branches of the cherry blossom tress above. Lots of table with white table clothes and pops of turquoise, sapphire blue, and coral spread throughout.

Oliver led Nyssa down a small path that led to a dead end. Nyssa looked around for what Oliver wanted to show her, but couldn't find it. The only thing that Nyssa could think that Oliver would want to show her was the stone wall off to the side with a carved depiction of Japanese spirits.

"Is this what you wanted to show me beloved?" Nyssa asked

"Sort of, but you really think I'd lead you to a dead end?"

"I don't believe so" Nyssa smiled "So where's the secret path?"

"I saw this and I thought of you" Oliver smiled as he motioned for Nyssa to follow him over to stone hidden in the bushes

Oliver pulled back the branches of the bush and revealed the stone with a small little lock in it. Before Nyssa could ask a question, Oliver pulled out a small silver key and inserted it into the lock. He twisted it 180 degrees before a click echoed from inside the stone. The ground beneath the couple started to shake slightly, then the stone wall with the Japanese spirits started to part in the middle. A long, dark cave was revealed, but the tunnel was lit with small, yellow candles, which Nyssa figured Oliver placed earlier

"Do you trust me?" Oliver asked with a smile as he extended his arm out to Nyssa

"You know the answer" Nyssa smiled back as she locked arms with her beloved.

Oliver pulled the key out of the stone, then walked back towards Nyssa. He led her down the tunnel, which was only about twenty feet long, but it curved to the side a bit so Nyssa couldn't see the end.

Eventually, they reached the end of the tunnel and they stopped at a cliff with cherry blossoms and even some willow trees around. The sun had already set straight ahead so all they could see was the purples and reds fading into the dark blue night sky. It was a warm, clear night so it was perfect for star gazing.

"Beloved, your ability to find things like this will never cease to impress me" Nyssa smiled as she walked towards the edge of the cliff "Is that the river from the harbor?"

"No, that's actually a small piece of the river that branches off" Oliver said as he walked up to Nyssa's side "See straight ahead, that's the beginning of the Queen mansion's back yard"

"Wow, way to bring in the old memories" Nyssa chuckled

"It actually wasn't intentional. I just saw that old tree over there, then the rope swing and remember that that's the exact one me and Thea put together when I was sixteen and Thea was seven"

"What happened to the mansion exactly? After your family was broken apart, what became of it?"

"It was abandoned. Thea and I have never had the heart to sell it"

"I see…" Nyssa started as she stared at the sky's reflection on the water below them "Maybe some day we could walk through it, revisit old memories"

"Yeah, that would actually be kind of nice in a way" Oliver started "For now, let's just enjoy this night for what it is"

Oliver motioned for Nyssa to sit on the ground with him and soon, the couple was sitting at the edge of the cliff, both with their shoes off and feet dangling over the edge. Oliver wrapped his arm around Nyssa's shoulders and she wrapped hers around the back of his waist

"Tonight is a stunning night, tomorrow is our wedding, we leave for the honeymoon after that and once we return, You, William and I will officially be the Queen family" Oliver said as he stared out at the sight before them with a smile on his face "Life couldn't get any better if you ask me"

"Yeah…I'd say the same…." Nyssa said with a smile, but deep down, she was dreading the future. Not of hers with Oliver and William, but with the league and the battle against the celestial order

-(=+=)-

The sun was rising over the horizon the next morning. It was a beautiful day indeed and William was already up and ready to go with the other bachelors. His dad and Nyssa were still asleep, so William did his best to keep quiet.

William was sitting on the couch in the living room when there was a tap on the door. The boy sprung up and quickly answered the door. Outside, there was a large group of people that all trickled through the doorway. Once everyone was in, William could see Thea, Elena, Lenora, Dig, Roy, and Rene all standing in the doorway.

"I can't believe we're actually doing this" Rene whispered "Hos is going to kill us"

"Yeah, but think of it as 'we're waking you up so you don't miss your big day' type of thing. They can't beat us up over that" Elena said as she pulled a small firecracker out of her side bag

"Wait, you guys brought firecrackers?!" William gasped

"Don't worry, it's completely safe. I tried it in my house with Zoe before the wedding" Rene said as he snatched the firecracker "Move out boys….and gals"

The seven of them all filed into Oliver and Nyssa's room. They were able to see Oliver and Nyssa still asleep while Oliver was holding Nyssa close to him, almost like a five year old does to a stuffed animal. The girls all stood by Nyssa's side while the guys got on Oliver's side. Dig and Elena both set up the firecrackers at the foot of the bed and each lit a match. They both held the match to the fuse, then sparks started to follow the fuse. Both of them stepped back just in time to watch the firecracker let out a bright, golden light and several sparks. The soft crackling started to wake the couple up, but it was the loud bang at the end that caused them both to shoot awake and Oliver to grab a knife from behind the headboard.

"Jesus Hos, it's just a firecracker" Rene laughed

"What the hell are you all doing in my house?" Oliver asked as he put the knife back, then turned to Nyssa who was stuffing her head under a pillow

"We're here to take you to Amanoniwa so you don't run late for the wedding because I can see that happening for the both of you" Thea laughed "And Nyssa, you're the bride so you should have been up hours ago"

"I value sleep…" Nyssa groaned from under the pillow

"Well not today you aren't!" Elena laughed as she grabbed Nyssa's ankles and pulled her out from the bed

"Oliver! Don't let them take me!" Nyssa said as she tried to grab the sheets before she was pulled off the bed and landed on the wooden floor

"Oh, Oliver doesn't get freedom either" Roy laughed as he and Rene grabbed his arms and forced him out of bed

"I guess I'll see you up there" Oliver smiled as he was pulled out of the room and handed a pair a jeans, a tee shirt, and a sweater

"Yeah, see you up there" Nyssa said with a small wave

"C'mon! Let's get going!" Lenora laughed as she lead the bridesmaids and Nyssa out of the bedroom and towards the front door

"Bye Nyssa! Have fun!" William called with a small laugh

-(=+=)-

"Okay! First things first; Dress" Thea said as she walked back into the room with Nyssa's wedding dress.

Thea took off the covering for the dress and revealed it to Elena and Lenora. The dress had simple straps with a v neck. The dress had an A-Line skirt and was covered in lace from the top to bottom. In the middle of the dress was a simple and elegant jeweled belt that tied it all together.

"I'm going through blind so I guess you two are going to be the guides" Elena said as she watched Lenora bring in the three bridesmaid dresses

"Yes we are, so do what we say!" Lenora laughed. "We don't need get in our dresses until the ceremony, which isn't for another three hours"

"Wait, you guys woke me up almost four hours earlier?!" Nyssa asked with a small gasp

"Yeah, we had priorities" Thea replied

"No offense to your wedding skills, but I didn't even need to wake up an hour before the wedding. Maybe forty five minutes at the most" Nyssa said

"What about the dress, hair, make-up, and all that stuff?" Lenora asked

"I can put the dress on in five minutes, I wear my hair down expect for that hair comb, and I don't wear make-up…ever"

"Well you can't just slip the dress over your head. You're not going to wear make-up, but we are going to do something with your hair" Thea smirked

"Don't you even think about cutting it" Nyssa added in quickly

"Cut it? Nah, that's out of the question. I was thinking more of a half up-do with the comb holding it in place" Thea said as she took the dress off the hanger "Now, let's get started before you try to prolong this any more"

-(=+=)-

"Wow dad, you look fantastic!" William said with awe as his father adjusted his sapphire blue tie

"Glad you think so. After all, you picked out the tie" Oliver said as he turned around to see William. "You look fantastic as well"

"Thanks! Glad I get to be in here too. I feel like a real man!"

"You are a real man, just really short"

"Hey! I'm taller than Jasper!"

"Okay, but Jasper's short"

"Not that short"

"Keep telling yourself that" Dig laughed as he walked into the room with Roy and Rene. "You nervous man?"

"Not at all. I'm actually excited" Oliver replied

"You wrote your vows, right?" Dig asked with an eyebrow raised

"Yeah, but I had to write it in Russian. Nyssa agreed to do the same" Oliver said as he took out the sheet of paper from his pocket

"Why are you guys going to read your vows in Russian?" Roy asked

"Because our whole relationship was centered around meeting in the field and when our masks are up. With all the people that will be here, there's a large population that doesn't know I'm the Green Arrow or that Nyssa's Phoenix, so we're going to say our vows in Russian so we can still say them honestly"

"That's actually kind of smart, but can you say them again in English after wards so family and friends who do know you're the green arrow can hear them?" Rene asked

"Maybe, but you hearing the vows isn't important. It's supposed to be in between Nyssa and I"

"True, but I'm still going to bother you about it later" Rene said with a smirk

-(=+=)-

"Keep your head still, I'm almost done" Elena said as she started pinning the last piece of Nyssa's hair in place

"Wait, are those your vows?!" Thea said as she peaked her head over Nyssa's shoulder, but was hit with a wave of disappointment "Did you seriously write them in Russian so we couldn't read them?"

"Nah, I can read it just fine" Elena smirked as she started reading down the page "Awww, that's so sweet! I can't believe you're going to tell him that!"

"Tell me what it says, damn it!" Thea laughed

"Take Russian 1 at the community college and you'll understand it well enough" Elena replied

"Okay! I got those alterations done on the dresses. We can go ahead and put them on, then head out" Lenora said as she got up from the floor and took a sewing needle out from in between her teeth

"Thank you for doing that Lenora, the dresses look so much nicer now" Nyssa said as she glanced at the dresses from the corner of her eye

"Really? I only created a hem" Lenora said as she looked at Nyssa, then the dresses

"But they didn't have a hem before and now they do, so thank you" Nyssa smiled

"You're welcome, now let's get in our dresses before we make Nyssa late" Lenora laughed as she passed Elena and Thea their dresses

"Okay…and…done!" Elena said with pride as she stepped back to admire her work "That's the best bridal up do I've ever done"

"When did you do others?" Nyssa asked skeptically

"Don't worry, I was a hairdresser of sorts for a period of time before I joined the league. You're hair looks great, in fact, I can take a picture for you to see" Elena said as she picked up her phone

She took a quick picture of the back of Nyssa's head, then handed her the phone.

"Wow, you're right. That does look nice. Thank you for doing this" Nyssa said as she turned back to face Elena

"No problem, now you finish looking over your vows, then we can get going!"

Nyssa nodded and continued reading down the paper as her bridesmaids walked into a separate room to get changed. Once they were out of the room, Nyssa walked over to the corner of her room and knelt down by her bag. She dug through it until she found two small knife sheaths that could hold two knives each. She picked up her skirt and strapped the sheaths to her thighs once there were knives in them.

"Alright! What do you think?" Thea asked as she strutted out of the room with her off the shoulder, white dress with a turquoise ribbon belt

"I think you look fantastic" Nyssa smiled

"Great! Now I can do my hair real fast" Thea said as she walked over to the vanity and pulled out one of the three jeweled barrettes.

She took a piece of hair from one side of her head and twirled it back, then clipped it in place. When Lenora and Elan finished changing, they did the same thing.

Once the four girls were ready to go, Thea led the way to the area where the ceremony was taking place.

-(=+=)-

Oliver, his groomsmen, and William all walked to the area where the ceremony was taking place. The guests were just starting to get seated, so Oliver was able to slip up to the lectern without being too noticed. Oliver had asked Ray to be the minister at the wedding, seeing as he was a close friend, and he happily accepted. Ray was already up near the lectern, but was talking with some guests.

As for the guests, Oliver had tried to keep them limited, but it was still a large group. Everyone he was close to was there including the legends, team flash, the other members of team arrow, and some other close friends of Oliver and Nyssa's.

"Are you ready for this?" Dig asked as he and the other groomsmen lined up beside Oliver at the lectern

"More than ready" Oliver started "I never really got an opportunity to thank you"

"For what?" Dig asked, a tad confused

"For always being there for me and the team. I don't think I've ever gotten the opportunity to thank you…and I mean really thank you"

"Don't mention it man. It's my pleasure" Dig said with a smile "Now look alive, the music is going to be playing"

Right as Dig said that, the small group of musicians started to play. The assembly stood up from their chairs and turned towards the back to see the bride. Nyssa looked down the isle and took a deep breath before walking down with a bouquet of coral and turquoise flowers in hand. Oliver couldn't help but smile when he saw baby Sara skip down the isle, throwing flower petals on almost every inch of ground. Nyssa smiled as well as she followed the young girl, and soon she joined hands with Oliver at the lectern.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness the union between Oliver Queen and Nyssa Raatko" Ray started "I've known both of these people for a good three years and let me tell you now, they are some of the kindest and most hard working people I've ever met. I cannot think of anyone else who would be more perfect for either of them"

Oliver and Nyssa both turned their heads to Ray and smiled, telling him to continue

"Oliver Jonas Queen, do you take Nyssa to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do" Oliver said with such happiness

"And do you, Nyssa Asteria Raatko, take Oliver to be your wedded husband and live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?"

"I do" Nyssa said as a smile broke across her face

"Now this is the part where the couple shares their vows. I imagine you have written your own" Ray said as he took a step back

 _(Author's Note-Okay, so I was going to translate this into Russian, but it's too long! Just imagine it's in Russian)_

"I'll go first" Nyssa said with a smile, then turned to Oliver "Oliver, when you proposed to me, you said there was a void that was only filled when we were together, but I never got to tell you that ever since my heart was broken the first time, I had a void of my own that could only be filled by violence….until I met you. You were the first person to show me genuine friendship. I stuck with you because even though we were at each other's necks, righting for different causes for the longest time, there was an unspoken amount of love between us. And now that I am up here in the middle of a wedding ceremony with you, I honestly cannot say that I would change anything in my life right now. For the first time in my life, I'm finally experiencing true happiness and I have no one else to thank but you and I can't wait to see where the future takes us"

"Wow, Russian….fancy" Ray said quietly then turned to Oliver

"Nyssa, when I was first trying to figure out my life and who I was, I was with countless different people, thinking that they would give me the happiness that I had been searching for. I couldn't have been more wrong in my entire life. I was trying to satisfy myself with someone who didn't bring any light into my life, but then I met you. Even when we first met, four years ago, you looked at after our first fight and for the first time, I felt a light present. There wasn't any anger in your eyes when you looked at me after Sara was saved, only disappointment. When you disappeared, I felt that disappointment rub off of me, but once again, I tried to cover it by being with other girls. Nyssa, you are the light in my life and you are the reason I am still here with my family and friends, but after today, you're going to be my wife and I could not be happier than I am right now"

"May we have the rings please?"

Dig gave his son a reassuring smile and gave him a nudge towards Nyssa and Oliver. JJ walked up in front of Ray and in between the couple, then held up the small pillow with the rings on them. Oliver took the small silver one with three diamonds and swirled engraving while Nyssa took the other silver one, which was thicker and had the same engraving. Nyssa extender her hand first and Oliver slipped the ring on it, then he extended his and Nyssa did the same.

"Well then, Nyssa, Oliver, I now pronounce you….husband and wife. You may kiss the bride"

Ray stepped aside as Oliver and Nyssa pulled each other into a loving kiss and the audience exploding into an applause. The newly weds slowly pulled away from each other and smiled

"That couldn't have gone any better" Oliver smiled "I love you so much"

"And I you….husband"

 **Author's Note:**

 **1.** **So if you want to get an idea of what Dakota's armor looks like, go search up 'Assassins creed Ezio's plain armor in constantinople'. There should be something that looks dusty blue with a bright red sash. I found that when trying to design Dakota's armor and I thought it was perfect!**

 **2.** **If you want to see what Nyssa's WEDDING DRESS looked like, search 'Oleg Cassini A-Line Lace Wedding Dress' and something like it should come up. I saw this a couple months ago when I was trying to design something for a project and I saved it thinking I could use it on some other occasion…guess I was right!**


	6. Hello Brother

The main ceremony had come to a conclusion and the newlyweds had just finished with the photo shoot. Oliver and Nyssa were walking back towards the small building that they had used to get ready earlier that morning.

"I don't think this afternoon could be any more beautiful" Oliver smiled as he and Nyssa walked hand in hand to the rooms

"I couldn't agree more" Nyssa said as she smiled back at him

The couple stopped in front of the door and Oliver opened it, then stepped aside so Nyssa could walk inside first.

"Well look at you being a gentleman, thank you" Nyssa said with a small laugh

"Just doing my part" Oliver smiled

Oliver closed the door behind them and walked with Nyssa towards the room where their reception outfits were. When they entered the room, they saw all the things they had brought earlier had been moved to the corner of the room, including Nyssa's reception dress, which had a white, off the shoulder top with three fourths sleeves and a flowing high low skirt with a small jeweled belt; and Oliver's suit which was really just another white dress top and a dark grey vest and tie so he could roll up the sleeves to avoid sweating.

"Not shaming Elena or anything, but this pin has been digging into my head for the past seven hours" Nyssa groaned as she pulled out the small, metal pin which was pretty much holding all her hair in place

As soon as she took it out, her dark hair cascaded down from the position it was in and Nyssa took out the comb, then the rest of the stray pins.

"How many pins did Elena put in your hair?" Oliver asked with a laugh

"I lost count when she had to reach into her bag to find more" Nyssa said as she ran her fingers through her hair to get the pins out "Did I get them all?"

"Uhh, just one right…..here" Oliver said as he pulled out another pin "There, now they're all out"

"Thank you beloved" Nyssa laughed

Oliver grabbed his suit and started changing into his. Nyssa walked over to get her dress, but stopped right before her hand touched the hanger. She stood there showing no emotion for a bit before Oliver walked back into the room and noticed her.

"Is something wrong Nyssa?" Oliver asked as he walked over to her

"I have the strangest feeling….that something's going to happen" Nyssa said as moved her hand down, then turned to face Oliver, still in her wedding dress

"Of course something is going to happen. The reception, the first dance, the cake and getting to go to that cliff" Oliver said as he pulled Nyssa into a kiss "It's probably just wedding jitters"

"Yeah, you're right" Nyssa replied as a smile crept across her face "Thank you"

"Anytime" Oliver smiled "Now, I'll be right back after a restroom break. Don't go anywhere"

"I would never think of it" Nyssa laughed as she watched Oliver walk off down a small hallway

Nyssa turned back to the reception dress and looked at it, then her duffle bag of armor in the corner. She honestly had no idea why she brought it, but she was able to get it here without question from Elena, Lenora, or Thea. Nyssa walked over to the bag, quickly took off her wedding dress, then put on the full set of armor. She had just finished adjusting her sword sheath and quiver when she heard to toilet flush from down the hall. Nyssa quickly looked over at the reception dress, then down at her feet. She created a similar orange light with the tips of her fingers, then threw it on the ground. From her angle, her armor seemed to vanish as copy of the white reception dress climbed up her figure.

Oliver had just entered the room when the last of the light faded and Nyssa was left in the middle of the room wearing the reception dress. She quickly realized that her actual dress was still hanging up on the door and she knew that if Oliver saw that, she might as well have just screwed herself. Knowing this, she quickly walked over to him before he could come to her.

"Wow, you look fantastic" Oliver smiled as he kiss his wife

"Thank you, beloved" Nyssa smiled "Shall we get going?"

"Yes, we shall" Oliver smiled as he took Nyssa's hand into his own, then walked out of the small building

The two newlyweds walked down the cobble pathway and soon arrived at the area where the reception had been set up. Surprisingly, the sun was already starting to set and the faintest bit of color was started to dance across the darkening sky.

"Glad to see you two made it, this is your wedding after all" Lenora laughed as she and Jacob walked up to the two of them

"I suppose so, thanks Lenora" Nyssa smiled "Are you two still going to play for the first dance?"

"Yeah. Jacob and I actually bought matching violins in Europe so we'll be using those" Lenora smiled "In fact, we should start getting prepared"

"Alright, thanks for doing this!" Oliver called after the young adults, then turned over to Nyssa "Shall we mingle"

"I suppose it would be appropriate, seeing as it's our wedding" Nyssa laughed a bit

The two of them barely had to walk towards the crowds of people before Barry and Iris noticed them and came walking over.

"Congrats man! You finally get to settle down" Barry laughed as he and Oliver gave each other a hardy hand shake

"I suppose so, I'm only thirty two so I'm not too late" Oliver chuckled

"Yeah, and I was twenty seven"

"You're a meta so I guess the ladies just come running to you"

"And you're Oliver Queen, the hottest man on the-" Barry started, then stopped when he felt his face getting red

"Wow honey, you just dissed me for Queen" Iris laughed as she watched her husband try to bury his embarrassment

Both Nyssa and Iris were laughing as their husbands looked back and forth at each other, each with red faces

"Don't worry beloved, it's all in good fun" Nyssa smiled

"I know, but the flash just called me the hottest man on the block and I could have sworn that he was smiling at me when he said it" Oliver whispered to his wife

"I am not gay!" Barry laughed

"Never say never" Oliver laughed

Before either of them could say anything else, a breach that looked like Cisco's appeared off to the side of the two couples and two women jumped out, each wearing nice dresses.

"So sorry we're late guys, we ran into a problem on my earth that just couldn't wait" Kara apologized frantically

"It's not a problem at all, it happens to the best of us" Oliver said as he turned to face Kara and Alex "We're just glad you two could be here"

"Thank you for inviting us. It's always fun visiting another earth" Alex stated

"It was quite strange when Oliver told me he wanted to invite an alien from another earth and her sister to our wedding" Nyssa laughed

"Right, you guys have never met" Oliver started "Nyssa, this is Kara and Alex Danverse, from Earth-38. On their earth, Kara is Supergirl, a crime fighting alien meta….thing"

"Wow, a thing. That's nothing new" Kara laughed "It's nice to meet you"

"Nice to meet you as well" Nyssa replied

"So, since the dinner is ready, why don't we all head over there and eat?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, that would be lovely" Nyssa said as they walked towards the banquet that was set up

Within the next twenty minutes, everyone was sitting down at a table enjoying the feast. Normally, the newlyweds would sit at a table that was in front of all the other tables, but Nyssa and Oliver didn't feel comfortable sitting there and eating in front of everyone, so they chose to sit down with their family.

Oliver, Nyssa, Barry, Iris, Elena and Andrew were all at a table together. Oliver had looked around for William, but found that he was sitting at a separate table with Kaida, Zoe, Tom and Jasper, which was actually a perfect place for him for what he had planned with Dig.

"So, where are you two going for your honeymoon?" Iris asked curiously

"Oliver and I actually planned it on a plane within fifteen minutes, but we came up with going to Thailand and then going to the Australian Coast to see the bioluminescent waters" Nyssa replied

"Wait, bioluminescent? As in they glow?!" Iris asked excitedly

Nyssa nodded in reply and smiled "Apparently, when the water is disturbed, it starts to glow a bright blue-ish tint"

"Barry, we have to go there and see this sometime!" Iris said excitedly

"Yeah, that would be really nice. Maybe once we each get a clearing in our schedules, we can take a little trip down there. We never did have our official honeymoon"

"We can tell you if the water actually glowed or not so you two can save some money if it's a dud" Oliver stated

"Really? That would be fantastic!" Iris said "And in return, we can tell you about….a really good Chinese buffet in Central city?"

"I think we'll stick with the ones here in Star, but we will definitely have to ask about it if we visit in the near future" Oliver said with a small laugh

Barry was about to say something, but he was stopped when the sound of a fork tapping up against a glass. Everyone at the table as well as the other tables all turned to face the person who was tapping the glass. Oliver turned and saw that William was standing on top of the chair and handing the glass and fork to Kaida, who was sitting next to him.

"Um, hi everyone" William started with a small wave, then looked over to Dig who gave him a reassuring nod "I'd like to make a toast. If everyone could raise their glasses please"

Everyone seated at the tables and standing around the perimeter all raised a glass and looked over to William, waiting for him to continue. William was fumbling with a paper in his pocket and soon he had it unfolded and in front of him.

"I-er…I just w-wanted to say…." William started as his eyes darted between the paper and the crowd. "You know what, screw it" William said as he crumpled the paper and tossed it to the ground. "As many of you know, my mother died in a car accident about a year ago and since then, I've been living with my Dad and later on, his girlfriend. Like a normal yet confused teenager, I was having a hard time accepting the change and blamed my Dad for the drunk man who ran into my mom but slowly over time, I realized that I should be thankful that someone was out there that still cared for me. As more time passed, my Dad became more like a boy's dream father. He's loyal, kind, and he's a total badass!"

A small laugh escaped the crowd and when it ended, William continued

"My Dad later brought Nyssa into his life and the three of us all formed an instant connection with each other. From the moment I stepped onto the ice with Nyssa for the first time and she guided me around the rink, I knew we were going to be the perfect family" William said with a smile as he raised his glass and looked over towards Nyssa "Dad…..Mom…thank you for being there for me. You have no idea how thankful I am that you're both in my life….To the world's best parents and newlyweds!"

"To the newlyweds!" The crowd said with a cheer

Nyssa was a bit chocked up when William said this and couldn't help but shed a tear of joy when she heard him call her Mom. She quickly got up from her chair and ran over to William, who had jumped off the chair and was quickly making his way over to her. As soon as she could, Nyssa pulled him into her arms and twirled him around in the air.

"I love you Mom" William said when he was back on the ground but still in Nyssa's embrace

"I love you too…." Nyssa smiled

Oliver walked over to his family and wrapped his arms around William and Nyssa, so they were all in a group hug. The photographer who was in the corner snapped a few pictures as the crowd let out an applause for the new family.

"Well, well well. Isn't this just beautiful" A masculine voice said from the front of the reception area as he gave a slow clap.

Nyssa, Oliver, and William all looked over to where the slow but thunderous clapping was coming form and saw a man with dark hair cut in an ivy league hairstyle and dark stubble on his chin. He also had the exact same eye color and skin tone as Nyssa. He was dressed in dusty blue assassins' armor with a red sash but he also had several assassins behind him dressed in white, gold and black.

"Congratulations on your wedding, Nyssa Raatko-wait a minute, it's Nyssa Queen now!" The man laughed "But that doesn't change a thing"

"What do you want from me?" Nyssa asked him as he approached her a bit

"Simple, you took something from me and I want it back"

"What did I take from you?"

"My twin sister. Where is she?!" The man shouted

"Twin sister?" Oliver muttered, causing Nyssa to turn back to him with a sad look in her eyes

"Vytashchite Uil'yama i drugikh ... teper'! (Get William and the others out of here…now!)" Nyssa whispered to Oliver in Russian

"No, I insist you all stay" The armored man said as he extended his arms out to the crowd "You all should be here, to witness the true corruption one can go through before they become a monster….like Mrs. Queen here"

"Whatever you want I will give to you, just leave these people alone!" Nyssa shouted at him as she stepped in front of Oliver and William

"Oh I know you'll give me what I want, but I can't guarantee that these people will go unharmed. Collateral damage, you know?"

The man (Dakota, duh) snapped his fingers and the assassins behind him charged at the crowd of people. Those who didn't know Oliver and Nyssa's secret ran away as fast as they could, but the assassins went after them.

Dig and Lyla were trying to get away from the scene with their children, but three assassins were already on their tail. Martin, Jax, and Sara all saw this and got ready for a fight as they ran after them. The rest of team arrow, team flash, and the legends were already engaged in a fight, expect the newly formed Queen Family.

Nyssa quickly turned back towards Oliver and motioned for him to get William out of there. Oliver nodded and quickly ran off with William towards the cliff, where he could make sure William was safe. Nyssa stood alone in the middle of all the chaos and stared coldly into the man's eyes.

"I don't believe we've met before….I am Dakota Saracon, leader of the Celestial order" Dakota started "Don't try to deny this, but I know you are the leader of the phoenix league"

"And so you are correct" Nyssa said as she quickly knelt down to the hem of her dress and snapped her finger.

She quickly ran her fingers up the dress and above her head, where an orange light was resting in her hand. Nyssa clenched her fist and the dress she was wearing faded away, revealing the full set of her armor.

Nyssa drew her sword without any hesitation and charged at Dakota, who unsheathed his twin sabers. They both ran at each other and started delivering blows to one another.

Both of them were incredibly skilled with the sword, but Nyssa was slightly better than him. She was able to pinpoint all Dakota's weaknesses and use them against him.

Nyssa went for Dakota's left knee, which she had noticed had a slight limp which was probably from an injury out in the field. She distracted him with a higher hit, which he blocked. Nyssa quickly ducked underneath his blade and did a quick spin on one foot then leaned for his knee. Nyssa used the handle of her sword to hit right underneath and above the kneecap, making it move slightly which sent Dakota to his knee. Nyssa sprung up and kicked Dakota's chest making him fall on his back.

"You are quite skilled in the sword, I will give you that" Dakota said as Nyssa put her blade to his neck

"You weren't too bad yourself" Nyssa started "For that, I will give you the curtesy of saying your last words"

"Very well" Dakota smirked "You haven't won this battle"

Dakota quickly grabbed Nyssa wrist and twisted it 270 degrees. Nyssa could feel her wrist crack at the twist and was kicked off of Dakota. She stumbled back and clutched her wrist as Dakota leaned over, grabbed his swords, and ran at Nyssa.

Nyssa switched her sword to her left hand and blocked Dakota's attacks, but she wasn't able to use some of her more powerful attacks with her left hand which gave Dakota the opportunity to take her down. Dakota used one blade to block Nyssa's then used the side of his second one to push Nyssa in the chest and bring her to the ground.

Nyssa fell back on top of her broken wrist, making her cry out in pain. She was barely able to register what happened when she saw Dakota's blade descending on her. Nyssa's sword wasn't in reach, so she did the one thing she could; block the blade with her arm.

Just before Dakota's blade could strike her shoulder, Nyssa brought her left arm up in front of her and the blade pushed down in it. Thankfully, her bracer was strong enough to withstand the blade, but Dakota started pressing further. Nyssa was forced to start leaning back as she felt the cold metal cut through her skin. Nyssa couldn't call for help from the other team members since they were all engaged in a battle against the other assassins and Oliver was with William so he wasn't an option.

"How does it feel?" Dakota sneered "To feel defeat coming over you ever so slowly"

Nyssa was about to say something when she heard a deep voice echo through her head.

 _Bring him here and let him see…..with the stars, illusion and the two balanced forces_

"I feel nothing because I know this isn't the end!" Nyssa shouted as she quickly reached over and grabbed her sword, still blocking Dakota's with her left arm.

Nyssa twirled the sword, then shot it up into the air. A dark blue-ish purple light started to glow around the blade of the sword as two trails of silver light shot out from the top of the blade, circling Nyssa and Dakota. The leader of the order looked around him in panic, not sure what was happening. Dakota practically had a panic attack when the silver lights blinded his vision and he was forced to shut his eyes. He heard a loud bang and then felt his world stop….

-(=+=)-

Dakota slowly opened his eyes and found himself floating in the middle of a dark, starry sky. He looked around frantically and tried to move, but found himself stuck in that position

"Hello?! Anyone?!" Dakota called, his voice echoing into the night

"Hello Dakota" A deep voice echoed as it approached him

Dakota was able to turn slightly and see three figures approaching him. In the middle was a man with dark hair and silver armor while at his sides were two more assassins; one in black armor with a sword at his hip while the other was a female with dark hair wearing black and gold armor

"What's going on?! Who are you people….you're people, right?" Dakota asked

"We are people, but dead…except for Nyssa" The leader said

"I was just fighting you….what happened?!"

"I brought you to the bridge before we killed each other" Nyssa replied

"Why would you care if we killed each other?! You took my sister from me and kept her you cold hearted bitch!" Dakota shouted

"A misunderstanding that will become clear to you" The leader said (It's Fayiz)

"What do you mean….?"

"Just listen and observe" Fayiz said

Dakota's vision was turned to a blinding light and soon, he saw a vision. A woman was in the middle of labor and three midwives were frantically rushing around. The urged the woman to push and after a few tries, a small dark haired boy was brought into the world

"Dakota….his name will be Dakota…." The woman said in between deep breaths

She was still marveling at her newborn son when there was a loud knock on the door

"Quickly! Get him out of here and never return….Dakota cannot be taken by him…."The woman said as tears streamed down her face

A midwife took the infant from the mother and wrapped him in a blanket, then quickly grabbed a backpack and ran out of the back door, just before a man dressed in a dark green robe could walk inside the house. He walked to the side of the bed, took the woman's hand, and whispered reassuring comments as she pushed with all her might.

Another infant was placed on the woman's chest, but this time, it was a girl. The woman marveled at the newborn, but Dakota could tell that she was still deeply sadden by the 'loss' of her other child.

To Dakota's surprise, he saw the woman start to seize, probably as a result to high blood pressure and stress. The midwives tried to help her but they were too late; the woman's body had already gone limp.

The man dressed in then dark green robe stood back as tears rolled down his cheeks. The young girl in his arms was about to cry, so he let her hold onto his finger for comfort

"Nyssa…..her name will be Nyssa Asteria Raatko….."

-(=+=)-

The assassins from the celestial order had finally been taken down by the members of team flash, team arrow, the legends, and Supergirl.

"Guys! We did it!" Kara exclaimed joyfully

"Yeah, but where's Oliver, William, and Nyssa?" Elena asked as she and Andrew lowered their blades

"I saw Oliver run to safety with William. No doubt that Nyssa found her way back to them" Barry said

"I don't think so" Lenora said from her kneeling position on the ground where Nyssa and Dakota had been fighting

The large group of heroes all walked over to Lenora and stopped behind her. Lenora slowly rose from the ground with Nyssa's circlet in hand. Jacob walked over to the group with a set of twin sabers that he had seen Dakota fighting with

"I think she's been taken…." Lenora concluded

"That's impossible. That crazy man would have taken his swords with him!" Iris stated

"What's going on? Are you guys all right?!" A voice shouted from behind

The large group of heroes turned around to see Oliver and William running towards them from a secret pathway and they frantically looked around.

"Where's Nyssa and that man?!" Oliver shouted at the group

Lenora cautiously walked over to Oliver and handed Oliver Nyssa's league circlet. Jacob stood behind her with Noah's twin sabers in hand

"I-I'm sorry Oliver, but I think she's been-" Lenora, started but was interrupted by a loud bang in the distance.

"What the hell was that?!" Sara asked as she and the rest of the team watched a silver light escape into the night sky

"I don't know, but it looks like Nyssa's warning shot" Oliver said as he started running towards the part of the garden where the silver light came from

The whole team of heroes ran after Oliver and William while Ray, Firestorm, Kara, Hawkgirl, and Amaya all flew above them

"Wait, is Nyssa a meta?!" Cisco asked as they ran

"You didn't know?" Dinah shouted back

"Oooh boy, this is going to make things REAL interesting!" Cisco said, a bit excitedly

-(=+=)-

Nyssa and Dakota fell back down to earth from a couple feet in the sky. Dakota landed on his feet, but dropped to his knees while Nyssa landed on her feet, but stumbled back and fell from exhaustion. Dakota slowly rose to his feet and looked over at Nyssa, who was lying on her side, trying to get her breath back

"Y-y-you're m-my s-s-sister….." Dakota said as he slowly walked over to Nyssa and knelt down by her side

"P-please….d-don't kill me….." Nyssa muttered weakly. She had only just started working on combining three sword powers and even that was a lot, but after combining four successfully was a whole other story

A tear rolled down Dakota's cheek as he reached his hand underneath Nyssa's head and lifted her slightly so she could breathe easily

"I would never hurt you…..I'm so sorry" Dakota whispered

He offered Nyssa and hand up and she looked at it for a moment before putting her left hand in his right. He gently lifted her too her feet and pulled her into a warm embrace.

"I've missed you so much…." Dakota cried "I was first told I had a twin sister when I was six years old by my foster mother, but I never thought it would be the woman I've been chasing for almost ten years"

"Ten years?" Nyssa asked as she slowly pulled away "The phoenix league has only been established for less than a seven months"

"Yes, but before that, you were serving under Ra's al Ghul and the league of assassins. I first leaned that you were his daughter and that we were tied somehow. I believed that you were some type of distant relative and that you knew something about my missing sister"

"So you've been tracking me….for ten years"

"In a way…..yes"

Nyssa couldn't hold back any longer and she broke out into laughter. Dakota looked at her a bit confused, but she just continued laughing

"If you've been tracking me down for ten years and you only just now found me, you definitely need help in the tracking department" Nyssa laughed

"I don't disagree. I could use the help" Dakota laughed.

"Yeah you could!" Nyssa said as she pushed her brother slightly

Dakota looked over at her, but noticed that her left forearm was completely covered in blood while her right wrist was a tad crooked.

"I did that….didn't I?" Dakota asked guiltily while motioning to Nyssa's battle injuries

"Um, yeah…but it's not a big deal. The whole thing was a misunderstanding and I can just fix this with some stuff back in Finiks Jurf" Nyssa said

"Well let me fix that up for now, or until you get back to Finiks Jurf" Dakota started "There's a creek just down here where I can get some water to wash it away"

"Umm, alright…." Nyssa said as she followed Dakota down a hill and into a forest. "Where are we exactly?"

"We're outside of a temperate forest across the river from Amanoniwa. There's a creek that just skims the forest and it's filled with some of the cleanest water I've ever seen"

"Alright then, but what about everyone back at the wedding? And my family?"

"Don't worry. I can get you back there after those injuries are attended to"

"Do you even know how to set broken wrists?"

"Believe it or not, I actually studied under the village healer when I was fifteen. She taught me how cure certain illnesses with herbs, stop bleeding and infections, and even how to set almost every bone in the human body so yes, I do know how to set a broken wrist"

"By the way, I don't consider these injuries….now getting shot and bleeding to death in an injury"

"Is there some significance to being shot that I should know about?"

"I'm honestly surprised you don't know" Nyssa said with a small laugh "The foundation of the league started with me getting shot and bleeding to death. I was resurrected by that older man in that place where you learned I was your….twin….and he set me on the path to finding the last five swords and creating the league"

"Huh, maybe your full title should mention being dead and resurrected by the ancient spirit of the creator of the first league" Dakota said with a small laugh

"That would be quite interesting to approach and enemy and announce a full title"

"Didn't you do that before?"

"No, actually. When I said 'I am Nyssa, daughter of Ra's al Ghul, heir to the demon' it wasn't even close to my full title"

"Then what is?"

"It's way too long for even me to remember" Nyssa laughed "It involves some Greek traditions such as naming your mother, father, grandparents, distant relatives, role in society, and your future"

"Dang, I just said 'I am your worst nightmare'" Dakota laughed

"Well I know that's not true. My worst nightmare isn't even close to what you are"

"Wooow, that was low" Dakota laughed.

"Think of it as me getting back at you for pushing a sword into my arm"

"Alright, I can live with that" Dakota said as a small smile broke across his face

He and Nyssa just met, but he could already tell that they were going to be incredibly close. Dakota loved seeing Nyssa smile, even after he and her just fought in a battle where either one of them could have died easily.

"Hey look. We're here" Nyssa said as she looked over at the creek

"Looks like it" Dakota said as he pushed some branches out of the way so Nyssa could walk through without doing something to screw up her arm or wrist even more. "We should take care of the bleeding first so why don't you come over to the edge of the creek and I can wash that off for you"

"Why are you acting like I'm helpless?" Nyssa asked "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of this myself"

"I don't doubt you, but think of this as me redeeming myself for what I did today….it was unacceptable"

"Alright then, I forgive you" Nyssa said

"Really? Just like that?"

"You're not the only one who was lost after I found out I had a twin brother"

"When did you find out?"

"Less than two days ago"

"Wow, and right before your wedding" Dakota said with a small laugh

"Yeah, I'm not going to say the time went by without a bit of dread….both with you and getting married"

"I can't imagine" Dakota said as he knelt down next to Nyssa, who was sitting down by the edge of the water.

Dakota took out a knife from a sheath on his thigh and used it to cut away to large pieces from the tail of his red sash. He set them aside, then gently guided Nyssa's arm towards the water. He imagined she would tense up a bit when the water hit the cut, but she didn't even flinch.

"I see you've built up a pretty high pain tolerance" Dakota said as he washed out the cut

"I guess that's what happens when you are raised by the demon" Nyssa replied

Dakota nodded, then finished washing out the cut. He grabbed one piece of the sash and wrapped it around Nyssa's arm so it would stop the bleeding. Of course, it didn't help at all that the sash was red, but it would have to do for now.

Once that was all taken care of, Dakota turned towards Nyssa's wrist and ran his finger over the break slowly.

"Definitely been broken out of place. I'm going to have to set it" Dakota said as he looked around for something to use to push and hold the broken part back in place

"What about this?" Nyssa said as she reached her left hand into a pocket in her armor

Nyssa pulled out about ten, small metal pins that were being used earlier to hold her hair in place.

"Those are actually perfect. Not too long or big" Dakota said as he took the pins from Nyssa. "This is probably going to hurt, even for the demon's daughter"

"Just get it over with" Nyssa said as she took a deep breath

Dakota positioned Nyssa's wrist on a rock that was in between them, then took one final look at the break. He put his right hand on the right side of Nyssa's wrist, then grabbed one of the pins.

"You sure you want me doing this?"

"You said you studied under a healer and you're the best I've got right now….just get it over with" Nyssa said as she took a deep breath

"Alright then" Dakota said as he took a small dagger from his belt and made a small cut on Nyssa's wrist where the worst part of the break was, then started positioning the pin "So, since we're getting to know each other, what do you like to do as a hobby?"

"I know exactly what you're trying to do and it's probably not going to work" Nyssa said as she turned her head away from the rock so she didn't have to watch Dakota work on the break

"Oh really?" Dakota asked with a small laugh as he continued to work with the pin "If it's not going to work, then just answer the question to satisfy my curiosity"

"Um, alright…?" Nyssa started "I enjoy figure skating"

"Really? I didn't expect that at all" Dakota said with a smile "Anything else?"

"I took up designing when I was a teenager along with play-" Nyssa started before she felt Dakota jam the pin into her wrist.

Nyssa could feel the broken part of the bone reposition itself and the pin hold it in place. She was doing her best to not to scream so she bit down on her lip.

"Son of a bitch, Dakota!" Nyssa said while biting her lip "What the hell did you just do!?"

"Just pinned the bone in place so it will heal up in the proper position" Dakota said as he traced his finger over Nyssa's wrist to make sure the break was set "Good news! I didn't screw it up!"

"Well thank god" Nyssa said with a small laugh

"Hey, it could have been worse"

"What are you talking about? You just shoved a hair pin into my wrist!"

"Oh, but it would have been incredibly painful if it were your ankle….or shoulder. I've heard those hurt…bad!"

"Hmm, maybe I should break your ankle just to get back at you" Nyssa smirked

"I would appreciate if you wouldn't since you still need to get back to your family" Dakota said as he wrapped Nyssa's wrist with the last piece of his cut sash. "There! Should we get going?"

"Yeah, let's go" Nyssa said as Dakota offered her a hand up

"Great, just stay close and pay attention to where you step because there are a few sudden drops"

"Thanks for the warning"

"You are most welcome!" Dakota said with a dorky smirk

-(=+=)-

"Are you sure we're heading in the right direction, Ollie?!" Barry called from behind them

The group of heroes were running towards the hill where they saw the silver spark shoot up into the air. Oliver had told the rest of the team to stay close to him since he knew a tiny bit more about the celestial order than them. This meant that all the flyers had to slow to almost a hover while the speedster had to practically run in slow motion

"I'm positive that this is where she is and we need to hurry so stop your slacking and get moving!" Oliver shouted back

"No offense to your leadership skills, but it would be better for us speedsters and flyers to go off and locate Nyssa and any threats first so we know what we're dealing with" Barry replied

Oliver was about to shoot down the idea, but he realized that Barry was right; if Nyssa was in trouble, his best bet was to let the speedsters and flyers go first to survey the area.

"Alright, just go but do not engage until the rest of us are there" Oliver announced

"Yes! Finally!" Kara and Barry both said in sync as they shot off into the distance

It wasn't even a minute later when the two speedsters returned with news

"We went to the clearing just outside the garden. Someone was obviously there recently because there was fresh blood on the grass. It wasn't bad, just looked like someone's arm had been cut and it was dripping or it was smeared across the grass" Kara reported

Oliver held up his hand and everyone else stopped running. He turned around and looked at everyone that was there, then developed a plan

"Cisco, can you vibe Nyssa?" Oliver asked

"If you've got something of her's, then yeah" Cisco replied as he stepped towards Oliver

"Uhh, I've got one of her knives. Would that work?"

"Good enough" Cisco said as he put on his glasses "Just hold out the item and I'll do the rest"

Oliver held out the knife, which was the same one that Nyssa had left in the guest bed room right before Christmas and her 'death', the one with her initials on the blade.

Cisco reached his hand out to the blade and barely had to touch it before he found himself deep in the Temperate forest. He looked over and saw Nyssa running like she had just lost her footing and was trying to regain it.

The vision was rather short and soon, Cisco was back in the real world. He looked over to the group who was expecting an answer

"I just saw her running, like she had just lost her footing. She was wearing two pieces of a cut sash; one wrapped around her wrist and the other was around her arm so I'd guess that there were battle injuries" Cisco announced

"What about a location, do you have anything?" Oliver asked

"I don't know for sure, but there were some birch trees and some bright green bushes with purple flowers nearby"

"Wait, purple flowers?" Oliver asked "What did they look like?"

"They looked like zinnias that ranged from a lavender shade to a dark purple" Cisco started "Why do you want to know about the flowers?"

"Because those are the flowers in the forest just off the Queen Mansion's grounds! Thea and I used to pick them for out mother and they grew all over the area, especially near birch trees!" Oliver said, almost excitedly "Cisco, open a breach to the Queen Mansion, now!"

"Yes sir! Let's find your wife!" Cisco said with a small laugh as he opened a breach.

Oliver and Cisco jumped through the breach along with Kara, Barry, and Sara. Before they jumped through, Oliver told them to all turn their coms on but to wait in the Waverider just in case something happened out there with the celestial order. William didn't like it at first, but he obeyed his father's request.

-(=+=)-

"I told you, you need to watch where you're going so you don't lose your footing like you just did" Dakota said with a small laugh

"Yeah, I believe you now" Nyssa replied

"Are you doing alright, with everything that's happening….?"

"It's not really like I had a choice. Eventually you or I would find out and this would be happening" Nyssa started "Right now, I just really want to get back to my family"

"I understand. I'll get you back home soon"

"Thanks"

"If we take a turn just up here, we should get up to some mansion, then we can make our way to the streets from there" Dakota started

There was a long period of silence before anyone spoke again

"Are you trying to give me the cold shoulder because I shoved a pin into your wrist or because you just found out I'm your brother?"

"I'm not mad that you're my brother….surprises like this pop up more often than you would think"

"Okay, so you don't like me for some reason?"

"Not that either, I just barely know you and I miss my boys…."

"Well, I think you will see them sooner than you think"

"What do you mean?"

"I believe your friends and or family are up there at the top of the hill"

"How would you know?"

"I've got a pretty good angle here. Would you like to see?"

Nyssa walked over to where Dakota was standing and he pushed aside a few branches so she could see. Up on the top of the hill, Nyssa saw Oliver, Cisco, Sara, Barry, and Kara all in a group getting ready to disperse

"I assume you'd like to go up there and see your family?" Dakota asked

"Um, yeah…What about you?"

"I was never here. When that whole teleportation thing happened, we were teleported out here but I managed to escape, so you started to find your way back to Amanoniwa" Dakota explained "If you ever need my help or just need someone to talk to, call this number. I'm going to be in Star City for a bit longer attending to order business, but I'd love to see you again"

Dakota passed Nyssa a small slip of paper with a number to dial on it. She looked it over, then stuffed it into her pocket.

"Thank you for helping me….I know this isn't how we intended to meet each other or get to know each other in the slightest, but I'd like to spend more time with you….after all, you're my brother….my twin brother" Nyssa smiled

"Well thank you for saying that" Dakota smiled "It was wonderful seeing you"

"And you"

"Bye sis" Dakota smiled as he walked back into the forest.

Nyssa smiled as she watched him disappear into the woods, then she started walking up the hill towards the group.

"So since there's five of us, we can each take a direction, then Kara can take the sky. We should be able to find her easily" Cisco said

"Okay, that could work but what about everyone else? Why don't we bring them out here to search?" Barry asked

"Because we don't want to attract too much attention, Barry" Oliver started "We've already got an alien in the sky and I'm surprised the media hasn't gotten this yet"

"Hey! I fly without a mask in broad daylight yet no one knows who I am! I'm doing better than all of you combined!" Kara taunted

"How about instead of arguing who's the better hero, we just focus on finding Nyssa?"

"Or you could stop whatever it is you're planning" A familiar voice said from behind the group

The group spun around and saw Nyssa walking towards them, still in her armor with all her weapons.

"Nyssa!" Oliver said as he ran over to her "Thank god you're alright! What happened to you?!"

"I was fighting that man and he cheated to get the upper hand on me, so I was forced to teleport us somewhere. I found myself on the other side of the river and I've been trying to get back over to you guys" Nyssa explained

"What of the man? Did you catch him?" Oliver asked

"No, unfortunately. He was gone when I started looking around"

"Alright, well, that's not important. What is important is that you're alright"

"Thank you beloved" Nyssa whispered as Oliver pulled her into a kiss

"Okay! We get it! We're all single and mildly depressed about it so can you please stop making out with each other?" Cisco asked

"Sorry Cisco, but I'm married so I don't fit your assumption" Barry smirked

"Shut it zipped" Cisco said as he put his hand over Barry's mouth

"Can we go home, please?" Nyssa asked Oliver

"Sure" Oliver said as he reached down to grab Nyssa's hand, but as soon as he touched it, he felt the blood on the red sash.

Oliver gently lifted Nyssa's hand and saw that her wrist had been tied with a red sash, but blood was seeping through, making the whole thing an even deeper red

"What happened with this?" Oliver asked

"I told you earlier, the man liked to plan dirty so he broke my dominant wrist and then I was forced to use my left arm as a shield. It didn't work, but I didn't die so that's good" Nyssa replied

"Well let's get home and I can fix that for you"

"Don't worry about it. I just need to rewrap it and I'm good to go. I already set the bone in place but it's being held by a….hair pin"

"Wait, you cut yourself so you could shove a pin into your arm?!"

"Yeah, that's basically what I did"

"Okay then, let's get you home" Oliver smiled "Cisco, can you open a breach to get us to the penthouse, then bring William to us?"

"Sure, consider this your wedding present because I didn't get you anything" Cisco said with a small laugh

"Well thank you Cisco, for all the help you've given us" Oliver smiled

"No problem man! We're hoping to see you both in Central City at some point. I foresee another awesome team up!"

"Keep dreaming Ramon" Oliver said as he watched Cisco open a portal

"Alright, one way ride to the Queen Penthouse!"

Oliver and Nyssa both walked through the breach and soon, they were jumping onto the wooden floor of the penthouse

"Well that was an….adventurous wedding" Oliver said with a small laugh

"I couldn't agree more….at least it was towards the final part of the wedding. We already had our first dance, we had the cake at lunch, I tossed the bouquet early because Lenora persuaded me to and other than the dinner, we did everything" Nyssa replied

"You're right, we can just say that dinner was more of an adventure rather than something you sit down at"

"That works" Nyssa lightly laughed as she walked towards her and Oliver's bedroom

Instead of going into the bathroom and redressing her wrist and arm, Nyssa walked over to the dresser and slipped her sweats and a tank top on, then crawled into bed. The only thing Nyssa did with the sashes on her arms was tie them a bit tighter so they wouldn't slip at all

"Do you not want me to redress the cuts beloved?" Oliver asked as he dove onto the bed and landed next to Nyssa

"It's not that I don't want you to, it's just that I'm really tired and if you start, I'm probably going to fall asleep and screw it up"

"Okay then, I understand" Oliver said as he kissed her forehead "You get some rest while I wait for William"

"Thank you beloved" Nyssa said right before Oliver walked out of the room.

He only had to wait for around ten minutes before another breach opened up and William jumped inside.

"Woah, that was weird!" William said as he looked around his home "I want to do that again!"

"Yeah, it's really cool to jump through a breach. Maybe Cisco can talk to you about it on one of these better says of the week, you know?"

"Would you be willing to set something up for me?" William asked excitedly

"Of course I would, I want to see you happy"

"Cool! I'm going to bed" William said as he started walking towards his room, then stopped "Where's Mom?"

"She's in our room sleeping. Apparently teleportation like what she did takes a lot of energy and she passed out as soon as she hit the bed" Oliver said with a small laughed

"Can I go say goodnight?"

"I don't see why not, as long as you're quiet"

William smiled at his father, then walked over to the door to the master bedroom. He pushed it open and saw his Mom lying under the covers fast asleep already. William tip toed over to her side of the bed and smiled down at his mom. William bent down towards the sleeping figure and wrapped his arms around Nyssa's shoulders

"William…." Nyssa said when she woke up from William's touch

"I wanted to say goodnight" William said as he let go of Nyssa and she put her head back on the pillow

"Thanks William….goodnight buddy"

"Night mom" William smiled as he bent down and kissed Nyssa's forehead.

William practically skipped out of the room and past his father, who gave him a hug and kiss goodnight as well. Once William was in his bed, Oliver walked back into the bedroom and walked over to Nyssa's side

"I swear William is a perfect child…." Nyssa said with her eyes closed when she heard Oliver approach

"I couldn't agree more" Oliver smiled as he climbed into bed with his wife

Oliver wrapped his arms around Nyssa waist and held onto her. Nyssa shifted her position and flipped on her right side so she was facing Oliver

"I love you" Nyssa said quietly

"And I you" Oliver said sweetly as he watched Nyssa drift back to sleep


	7. Time Apart

Nyssa woke up the next morning, and quite early at that. For the last twenty five years, she had been surviving off of four to five hours of sleep a night and she had never been able to break out of that habit. Nyssa turned her head slightly and saw that Oliver was still asleep, so she quietly got out of bed and walked into the bathroom.

After shutting the door behind her, Nyssa opened the cabinet underneath a sink and pulled out a small first aid kit that Oliver kept just in case something happened. She was able to find one of the bandage wraps and took it out along with a small suture kit. Nyssa pulled off the piece of scarlet sash from her arm and saw that the cut had started healing nicely, but still needed a few stiches in areas.

Nyssa was able to stitch up the cut, but not without biting her lip every time she had to twist her right wrist in order to pull the suture through. Once she had it all stitched up, Nyssa cut off a small piece of the bandage and wrapped it around.

Next part of the process was trying to straighten out her wrist completely. The pin work Dakota did was keeping the break in place, but it was still shifting slightly. It was a simple fix; just rewrap it with a tighter wrap.

Nyssa was just starting to rewrap her wrist when there was a small knock on the door. Nyssa turned to her side and saw Oliver peak his head inside, then walk in

"You get up early, don't you?" Oliver chuckled as he leaned down and kissed Nyssa "Do you need any help with that?"

"I'm actually almost done, but thank you" Nyssa replied as she tightened the bandage, then secured the end

"Did you even set the break?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, remember I told you I shoved a hair pin in my arm? It's holding it together but I just needed to rewrap this so it wouldn't move"

"Are you sure you want to leave a hair pin in your arm?"

"It will probably be for another few hours. I need to get back to Finiks Jurf and sort some things out for an upcoming extraction. While I'm there, I can just use the pool water or something"

"Alright then" Oliver started "Good thing we decided to head out on the honeymoon a couple days after the wedding. It works well for this kind of thing"

"Yeah, but you really didn't have to buy plane tickets. I could have just taken us there with Nuriel"

"You're right, but I wanted this to be a relaxing trip for the both of us"

"You find sitting in a plane thousands of feet in the air for over ten hours peaceful?"

"In some ways, yes" Oliver said with a small laugh "Do you not?"

"I've spent a good portion of my life in a plane so if I can avoid them, it's always preferred"

"Good to know for the future. We can take a yacht"

"Don't you have a bad history with yachts?"

"Yeah, but the yacht was sabotaged soo….I'm cool"

"Suuure" Nyssa smirked back at him

"Can I ask you a question?" Oliver started after a few moments of silence "About last night?"

"Umm, sure…" Nyssa started

"You said that the man who attacked got away before you could get to him" Oliver started "You don't let people get away from you and if he actually got away, why didn't you go after him?"

"I couldn't pick up a trail. I was a bit disoriented from the teleportation"

"Okay….what about when you two first fought? Before I left, I saw that you had multiple openings and could have killed him or knock him down but you didn't. Was that out of mercy, because you wanted to see him fight, or because you…you know him"

"How would I have known about that psychopath?"

"He said you took his sister away for him. What was that about?"

"I haven't taken anyone as a hostage in the name of the league. He was mistaken and now he's going after the wrong people"

"Why would he have gone after you if you didn't take his sister?"

"I'm not sure, but all I know is that I need to get back to Finiks Jurf and get into contact with our allies so we can take care of this"

"Allies? When did you get allies?"

"Over the past few months, we have been working with the Crescent order, the Indian triad, and some groups of assassins in south Africa"

"That's kind of cool. It's nice to see the league is growing"

"I agree"

"Can I ask you something else?"

"I suppose, beloved" Nyssa said with a small smile

"The pin in your wrist. It's positioned in such a way that suggests that two hands placed it in the bone" Oliver started "You didn't put that pin in yourself. Someone else did it"

Nyssa, who was still standing at the counter, froze in place and looked down at the marble countertop

"You weren't alone when you got across the river and the man didn't escape" Oliver concluded "Are you working with the celestial order in secret?!"

"Oliver…it's complicated"

"Nyssa, the truth doesn't have to be complicated! Just tell me, are you working with the celestial order?!"

"No, I'm not"

"Then how the hell are you still here and not dead?! If that man and you are truly at each other's necks, then one of you should be dead and obviously, that man isn't dead since he put that pin in your arm!"

"Oliver, I need you to trust me on this"

"I'm sorry Nyssa, but I can't to that" Oliver started, letting out a heavy sigh "That man attacked everyone at our wedding and sent his assassins after the guests! It's a miracle someone didn't get killed!"

"I agree! It was out of line-" Nyssa started, then stopped suddenly

"So you are working with those assassins"

"No! Not like we're allies"

"So you're working with them, but they're not allies, which means you're going against the league"

"It's not like that either!"

"Then tell me what it is!"

"Oliver, there are some things I can't tell you and that's one of them!"

"Why?! Is it because it's internal league business!? Why is that your response to everything?!"

"Because you're my husband and I can't tell you these things because you will try to interfere and end up screwing things up!"

"I see, so the league is more important than our marriage"

"No, it's the opposite!" Nyssa said back "I'm trying to keep you and William safe and the only way I can do that is by not telling you because you're so stubborn and won't back down!"

"I only get involved because I want to keep you safe and I can't do that when you don't tell me what's going on!" Oliver shouted "There's too many secrets and it has to stop…."

"Distrust is more like it…." Nyssa said as she walked out of the bathroom and put some jeans and a sweater

"Are you going somewhere?" Oliver asked from the bathroom doorway

"You may not agree with me, but I need to get back to Finiks Jurf" Nyssa said as she grabbed her bag of armor and walked to the bedroom door "Perhaps we should give each other some space…"

Before Oliver could reply, Nyssa had already walked out the front door of the penthouse and stepped into the hallway.

"Dad? Did you and Mom just fight….?" William asked from the doorway

"Just a disagreement" Oliver said as he started changing

"Didn't sound like a disagreement….she left"

"She's going to Finiks Jurf because there are some things with the league she has to take care of" Oliver started "Are you going to meet up with Jasper and Tom?"

"Um, yeah. They're outside on the sidewalk waiting so I should get going" William started "See you tonight, Dad"

"Have fun buddy" Oliver called after him

Oliver heard the door shut behind William, then continued to get dressed. Once he was dressed, he grabbed his phone and walked out the front door in hopes of going to the bunker to clear his head. On his way to the staircase, Oliver heard a familiar voice talking on the phone. Oliver slowed his walk and carefully peaked his head around the corner. He saw Nyssa leaning up against the wall, talking to someone on the phone

"Good. No, I'm trying to be discrete about the whole thing. Yes. Alright, I'll meet you there" Nyssa said before she hung up the phone.

Oliver watched as his wife slipped the phone back into her pocket, then she snapped her fingers and an orange light started to grown in her hand. Nyssa moved her hand over her head like she was pushing her hood off and Oliver watched as he entire appearance started to change. Nyssa's dark hair turned into a golden blonde shade, her skin changed to a lighter tint and her eyes lightened into a hazel color.

Once Nyssa's appearance had changed completely, she threw her bag of armor over her shoulder and started walking down the stairs. When she started walking towards Oliver, he ducked around the corner and hid. Nyssa walked right by the area he was hiding and she didn't give it a second thought.

Oliver was incredibly confused as to why Nyssa would change her appearance is she was just going outside, but when she said she was trying to be discrete and that she was going to meet someone, Oliver knew he had to follow her. He gave Nyssa about fifteen feet in between them and did his best to hide in the crowds, but being mayor and doing that was almost impossible, but he managed for the most part.

-(=+=)-

Nyssa walked into an old warehouse that was cleared out completely, except for a few old crates and debris littered all over the floor. There were also a couple tables with old papers, but they didn't have anything relevant.

Oliver had followed Nyssa all the way to the warehouse and ducked in behind her. He was able to find a dark corner to hide in, which was blocked by some crates, but he still had a good view of Nyssa.

"Glad to see you've made it" A male voice said as he walked towards Nyssa

This man approaching her had light brown hair in an army cut and blue grey eyes. He was wearing pretty casual clothing and looked to be in great shape too.

"As I am with you" Nyssa replied as she moved her hand over her head, taking down the blonde disguise

The man with pulled out a small, metal rod with a blue light on the end. He moved it over his face and his disguise was removed as well, revealing the face of the man that attacked the wedding banquet

"How did you get your hands on transmogrifier technology? I thought that was a STAR labs private project" Nyssa asked

"I have resources in the order, including inventors who keep an eye on new technology" Dakota started "So, what did you need my help with?"

"We've got a problem and it has to do with the league"

"What kind of problem?"

"I sent an extraction team out to Yemen about a week ago to end a human trafficking business. I haven't heard back from them and when another team went out to see what's going on, they reported that the business had moved on and that there weren't any traces of the original team" Nyssa started

"So you need my help getting your team back?" Dakota asked and received a nod from Nyssa "Alright, I've got some contacts in the Bratva that can help us out"

"You're a Bratva captain?" Nyssa asked

"Yeah, are you?"

"No, I control the Bratva" Nyssa said with a smirk

"Right, you had to take control after some uprisings in the eastern troops" Dakota said with a small laugh "Why do you need me then?"

"They aren't quite willing to help the person who's controlling them under duress"

"Makes sense" Dakota said with a small shrug "We'd have to go to a casino in order to get in contact. Do you know how to play poker?"

"Ha! I'm fantastic at that game!" Nyssa laughed

Oliver listened as the two of them discussed how they were going to get into the casino and how they were going to get to Yemen. Nyssa brought up the transport by phoenix, but then remembered that she couldn't use it until her wrist became stable.

"Hey, I got something for you" Dakota started as he took a small vial out of his coat pocket and threw it to Nyssa "To help with the wrist"

Nyssa opened the top of the vial and looked inside.

"Eternal water?! How did you get this?" Nyssa asked in shock

"I pick pocketed that friend of yours at the wedding. I think her name was Elena" Dakota replied casually

"Well I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you for pick pocketing her" Nyssa laughed as she took the wrap off her arm "You got a knife?"

"Yeah, here" Dakota said as he threw Nyssa a dagger

Nyssa caught the dagger and made a small slit on the side of her wrist where Dakota had put in the pin. She was able to grab it out and then toss it to the ground. Once the pin was out, Nyssa poured the water over her wrist and watched as the bones shifted slightly, then the small cut heal up.

Once the last of the water had dripped of her wrist, Nyssa moved her wrist around and confirmed that the break was completely healed up.

"Great, now I can kick your ass with fire if I need to" Nyssa laughed

"Woah, you wouldn't kill your brother, would you?" Dakota laughed

Oliver's heart skipped a beat when Dakota said this and Nyssa didn't even try to deny it.

"I just met you last night so I have no idea if I'd kill you or not, but from the looks of things, I don't think I would" Nyssa smiled

"Awww, thanks sis" Dakota laughed, but noticed Nyssa was distracted. "What's wrong? Did I say something?"

"No, no, not really" Nyssa said

"Did something happen at home with Oliver?" Dakota started, which grabbed Nyssa's attention. "You haven't told him, have you?"

"No, I haven't" Nyssa started "Because I don't know what I'm getting into entirely and I'd like to know before I tell him. He acts on impulse and ends up making stupid mistakes. This is too important and I can't have him screw something up"

"Understandable, but you should tell him soon" Dakota replied "Seems like you have a great relationship with him and it would be a shame to see that go to waste"

"Thanks, but we're spending a bit of time apart"

"That bad, huh?"

"I guess so" Nyssa said as she looked down at the floor

"Seeing as it's 'that bad', why don't we get suited up, pay those Bratva members a visit, then get your team back?" Dakota said as he walked over to a duffle bag near a table

"Yeah, let's do that" Nyssa said as she set her own on a table next to Dakota

"Can I ask you something a bit personal?" Dakota asked as he put on the first layer of his armor

"I suppose you could" Nyssa said with a small laugh

"When's our birthday? My foster mother told me it was July 5th, 1984 but I'm not sure if that's correct"

"You're right, it's not correct" Nyssa said with a laugh "It's May 10th, 1985"

"No way! I'm a year younger! It's like the angels have granted me youth!" Dakota laughed as he got on his knees and pretended to worship Nyssa "Thank you!"

"Get up, I'm not goddess" Nyssa laughed as she offered Dakota a hand up, which he took gratefully

"Hey, I got something for you" Nyssa called as she pulled out two extra items from her duffle bag

"Oh, did you?" Dakota asked as he walked over

"Yeah, and I think you'll like them" Nyssa said as she pulled out an extra bow and quiver from her bag, which were similar to her own.

Nyssa handed Dakota a bow, which was a standard, black league compound recurve hybrid, along with a quiver which was black with dark silver accents. The arrows inside the quiver where black, but the fletching was a dusty blue with red tips to match Dakota's armor.

"Awww, the first gift from my twin" Dakota said as he slung the quiver over his back "This is really nice!"

"Do you know how to shoot?"

"Yeah, I just prefer swords most of the time because carrying a bow is inconvenient"

"Well you see me with a quiver yet I'm not carrying a bow, do you know why that is?" Nyssa asked with a smirk

"Not entirely, but I'd love to know"

"There's a small button on the back of the upper limb of the bow. Press it"

Dakota looked at the limb and pressed the small, black button. The limbs of the bow started to retract into the handle of the bow. When both of the limbs were retracted, only the handle of the bow was visible, which was about eighteen inches long

"Dang! That's really cool! Did you make these?" Dakota asked as he gave the retracted bow a light toss

"Nah, it was my science division. I asked them to try making something like this so assassins can use their swords without worry about their bow" Nyssa said as she turned slightly so Dakota could see her hip "Just hold in on your hip like a sheathed sword almost. When you need to use it, just click the button again and the limbs will pop back out"

"I don't know how to thank you! This is amazing!" Dakota said as he secured the bow to his belt and scarlet sash

"Just a simple thank you is good" Nyssa started as she started walking towards the exit of the warehouse "Wow, it's already getting dark out. We should get going"

"Are you going to throw some casino clothes over that?"

"Nah, I got a fix. Do you?"

"Not entirely. I wasn't planning on visiting the Bratva tonight"

"Alright then, hold still" Nyssa said as she turned to face Dakota, but stayed a few feet back

Nyssa lit her hand up with an orange light, then shot it at Dakota without hesitation. The bright light engulfed him slightly, but when it faded, Dakota was wearing a black tux with a black bow tie

"This is pretty snazzy. You must know your way around a casino"

"I only know Russian casinos, which is where the Bratva likes to hide out" Nyssa said as she changed her armor into a floor length black dress to match Dakota's "If we're going to be staging, then we're a couple looking for some fun in a game"

"Sounds good to me, but this feels kind of wrong…you being married and me posing as a husband when I'm your brother"

"Look, all you need to remember is that I love Oliver with all my heart which means that I'm spoken for. You have no reason to be uncomfortable"

"Yeah, you're right" Dakota said with a small laugh "My car is outside a couple blocks down. Do you want to head out and maybe make some money?"

"Maybe? We're going to be rich by the end of the night!" Nyssa laughed as she and Dakota both walked out of the warehouse

Oliver was left dumbfounded in the dark corner. Everything Nyssa had said to him earlier that morning suddenly made more sense; she was the man's lost twin sister. The only reason she was keeping it from Oliver was because he was too impulsive and he only proved her point more in that argument.

"God…I really screwed up…." Oliver said as he put his head into a hand in frustration

Oliver knew from that moment that he had to find Nyssa and apologize, but from the sound of the conversation, she was going to be leaving to find her troop right after visiting the Bratva. Oliver's ties with the Bratva have been clouded and haven't really remained intact after the fight with Adrian Chase, so the option of getting into contact with them was thrown out the window.

Oliver's only option was to try to intercept them at the casino, but then Nyssa would have found out that Oliver followed her and he would probably screw up their relationship even more. With a heavy heart, Oliver decided to just get back home with William and pray that Nyssa would get home safely.

-(=+=)-

 _(Time Skip-4 hours later)_

"Alright, we've got a definite location on the traffickers" Dakota started "Macedonia, Skopje to be specific"

"Good" Nyssa said as she walked with Dakota outside of the casino "I'm going to go to Skopje and get my troop back. Do you want to come?"

"I'm not leaving my sister to fight alone so yes, I'll be coming" Dakota said with a warm smile

"Great, you locked the car up, right?"

"Um, yeah but aren't we driving it to the air strip?"

"Nope! We're going to be leaving right now!" Nyssa said as she drug Dakota around a corner and into a dark alley.

She stopped once they were hidden in the shadows and reached her hand out towards Dakota. Her hand started to glow a faint orange as the tux that Dakota was wearing turned the same shade. When everything was lit up, Nyssa brought her hand back to her center and clenched it which made Dakota's tux disappear and reveal his full set of armor, including the quiver and bow Nyssa gave him.

"That's a pretty cool magic trick. Maybe you could make me something as a symbol of authority in the order?" Dakota asked with a laugh

"Nah, unless you'd want to wear it until we see each other again. I can give you ideas, but making it is out of the question" Nyssa said as she changed her dress into her armor. "Alright, are you ready to go?"

"Is it painful at all?" Dakota asked as he watched his sister create a ring of fire, which turned into a phoenix that perched itself on her shoulder

"Not at all. Nuriel, my phoenix, will started circling around us, then there will be a blinding white light that will appear. When you see that, don't resist closing your eyes because next, you will feel a warm rush of air. Once that passes, you'll open your eyes and be in Skopje"

"Okay, sounds pretty straight forward. Let's do this!"

Nyssa smiled at her twin, then Nuriel flew off her shoulder and started circling around them like Nyssa explained. Soon, the blinding white light and the rush of warm air made themselves present. As soon as they vanished, Dakota opened his eyes slowly and saw that he was standing next to Nyssa, who was looking at a compass that was embedded in her bracer

"Took you a bit longer than usual to come around. What did you think?" Nyssa asked as she glanced over to Dakota

"That was strange…but so much quicker than a plane ride" Dakota said with a small laugh

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it" Nyssa smiled as she flipped the top back on the compass "Do you have a specific location?"

"I know it's in the city, probably down by the harbor would be my guess. I have some resources here so we can check in with them. They're the eyes and ears of the streets so they may be helpful with this"

"How are you going to explain that we're assassins looking for kidnapped assassins to these people?"

"Because they're my assassins. I have a group stationed here because this city is famous for holding large weapon auctions"

"Ah, so you station your followers here to get a good deal on some daggers?" Nyssa asked with an eyebrow raised

"Yes and no, the weapons dealer we get our best knives from sells in this city most often and he's hard to come by so we get what we can, even when it's not needed"

"Smart move" Nyssa started "So where are your assassins?"

"They're stationed at an undercover restaurant. They all run it together to generate income for the order and to pose as legitimist Macedonians" Dakota started "And if I ask them nicely, then maybe they'll make us a bite to eat for breakfast"

"Ugh, time zone jumps…you got a proper time?" Nyssa groaned

"Ten in the morning here, one in the morning back in Star City" Dakota said as he aligned one hand with the sun and horizon. "So, breakfast?"

"Yeah, let's do it" Nyssa said as they both started walking towards civilization

-(=+=)-

Three in the morning and Oliver still couldn't sleep. He kept tossing and turning to try and find the right spot but failed. Oliver tried clearing his head by trying to think about other things but it didn't work, so he even tried meditation.

Despite all his attempts, Oliver couldn't fall asleep, knowing that he messed up today and he was paying the price. There was an aching in his heart that seemed like it would never cease and Oliver couldn't help but fall into the darkness it was causing.

"Dad…?" A voice asked from the doorway "Are you awake?"

"Buddy? What are you doing up this late?" Oliver asked as he turned to his other side so he could see his son

"I couldn't sleep and I heard you tossing and turning….why isn't mom back yet?"

"She's taking care of things in Finiks Jurf. She should be back soon"

"Mom didn't leave us….did she…?"

"She wouldn't do that"

"But you guys were arguing this morning, about the attack at the wedding last night…it sounded bad"

"William, I'm not going to try and lie to you…" Oliver said as he crawled out of bed and walked towards William "Mom and I did fight, but it was my fault. I made a mistake and as soon as she comes back, I'm going to fix everything….it will all be alright"

"How do you know she's even coming back?"

"Because she loves both of us, dearly, and I know that she never leaves behind something, or someone, she loves"

"You're absolutely sure about it?"

"I haven't been more sure about anything in my life"

"Thanks Dad"

-(=+=)-

 _(Time Skip-9 hours later)_

"Alright, I need to sharpen my swords before we go out. Can you set these coms set up so something isn't screwed up?" Dakota asked when they were both dressed in their armor

"I suppose I could take a look into it" Nyssa smirked as she took the coms from Dakota "But really, you don't know how to set these up?"

"I'm usually commanding people to do it, as I am the leader on the extractions and missions"

"Still, you don't know how to set up a com system?"

"Correct, so can you please do it?" Dakota laughed

"Yeah, I can do it" Nyssa replied

Nyssa walked over to a computer in the order safe house they were preparing in. Tonight, it was just going to be the twin on the field, but Dakota made sure to have some of his assassins on standby in case something happened. While she was doing that, Dakota was using a wood block to sharpen his swords.

"Dakota! Catch!" Nyssa called as she tossed Dakota a com

Dakota caught the small device and put it in his right ear like Nyssa had already done.

"The channel is set up right now so when you want to say something, just turn it on" Nyssa explained

"Alright, thanks for getting that done"

"No problem, are you almost ready to head out?"

"Yeah, we should get going. Darkness should have just fallen by now, giving us plenty of time to find your troop and get them back home"

"Good, they've been through enough and we shouldn't keep them waiting"

"Don't cut yourself short. You should get home too so you can see Oliver"

"He made it pretty clear that he didn't trust me and I don't think pushing my luck by going back so soon would help"

"I dunno, I think this time you have it wrong" Dakota said with a smirk as they started walking out of the safe house

"What do you mean?"

"I wasn't there for the fight, obviously, but I saw when you two were reunited after the whole wedding incident. That was genuine and I think you should make an attempt to see him again, even if you're not sure"

"When did you become a marriage consoler?"

"Uh, I was in a relationship once…we talked with each other, there were no secrets in between us and we trusted each other completely"

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

"S-she fell in battle after protecting a group of children…her name was Lydia"

"I-I'm sorry for your loss…Lydia sounds like she was an honorable person"

"She was….I miss her"

"How long has it been since…"

"Almost two years"

Nyssa nodded as the two of them jumped up to the rooftops and ran through the shadows until they reached the harbor, where Dakota's assassins confirmed the rumor that the traffickers were keeping their 'prizes' here for transport later.

"You take the north while I get the south" Dakota said over the com

"Sounds good. Free anyone you can and fight off anyone who tries to interfere. There are no rules tonight" Nyssa replied as she moved her veil over her mouth so only her eyes were visible

"Got it, anyway to tell who's part of your troop?"

"There's nine of them that have been taken; Three women and six men. I believe they each have a burned league of assassins' insignia on their backs. It's small but it's something"

"I'm assuming you have the same one. That's how you know?"

"No, mine's different but I was also the daughter of the demon so of course I know that all assassins were 'branded' when they joined"

"Right, sorry"

"No problem, now let's get moving before we're too late"

Both Nyssa and Dakota emerged from the shadows, each wearing their hoods and mouth coverings of sorts, and made their way to the two sides. There were several small buildings with lots of room where a trafficker could be keeping people, so the twins had a lot of ground to cover.

Nyssa started in the largest building and started searching the hallways. There were several locked doors, but Nyssa was able to break the locks with a drop kick on the handle. When the door was open, Nyssa ran inside and saw several people tied up like they were about to be transported. The people's eyes widen in fear as Nyssa drew a knife from her thigh and approached one of them, but the fear died out quickly when they saw Nyssa cut away the binds, then give the freed person an arrowhead to cut away at other people's binds. This process continued for the next ten or fifteen rooms and after around forty minutes of this, Nyssa had freed over two hundred captives and found five members of her troop

"Any luck sis?" Dakota asked over the com

"Yeah, I've got five. You?"

"Three, and I've cleared my buildings"

"Alright, there's one more section of mine so get over here and help out"

"Right away!"

Nyssa turned her com off and walked towards another door. The lock on this one was a bit different so Nyssa had to pick it, then knock the handle off with a kick. When the door flung open, Nyssa didn't see any hostages inside, but a modern office that was kept spotless. The office had a desk, table, chairs, and a few shelves but for the most part, it was empty.

"Well, well, well. I see you're the one that has freed my prizes although that doesn't have to be a bad thing" A man said from behind her "After all, you could make me enough money all on your own"

Nyssa spun around and saw a man with dark, yet greying, hair slowly walking towards her. Nyssa drew her swords out on instinct and ran towards the man. He ducked and dodged the first few attacks, but that was Nyssa going easy. She barely had to up her game when the man was pinned to the wall with Nyssa's blade to his neck

"Where are you keeping the rest of them" Nyssa asked in a cold tone

"I don't need to tell you anything. You won't kill me" The man smirked

The man couldn't see the smirk that had spread across Nyssa's face when he said this. She quickly sent a charge of lightning down the silver blade and pressed it deeper into the man's neck, sending small surges of electricity into his blood stream

"Eastern building 2A room 17!" The man shouted in pain

"Vasha usluga byla otsenena (Your service has been appreciated" Nyssa said before she grabbed the man's shirt, spun him around, and snapped his neck

"Woah, that was pretty badass" Dakota said as he walked into the room

"Building 2A is where the rest of the hostages are" Nyssa said as she walked out with Dakota

"Just a little something I've wanted to say for a while, but I'm so glad you're my sister" Dakota said with a smile that Nyssa could see even with his covering

"And why's that?" Nyssa asked with an eyebrow raised

"Because you're a badass and I don't have to justify my actions regarding the order to you. I was almost praying that my sister wouldn't be some candy ass who likes make-up!"

"Ha! Well your prayers were answered!" Nyssa laughed "I hate make-up and I'm definitely not a candy ass, but do you know who is?"

"Humor me, who's the biggest candy ass you know?"

"Felicity Smoak, god she was such a dumb shit"

"Isn't she that dumbass who freed Cayden James?"

"How did you find out about that?"

"I keep tabs on A.R.G.U.S"

"Fair play, so what about you? Biggest candy ass you know?"

"Uhh….it's a guy named Alexis Rodriguez. I swear he couldn't even zip up his own pants when I or another assassin looked at him"

"Was he in the order?"

"No, thank god, he helped us in the tech department and often screwed things up which is why he ended up getting killed in a base raid by some Middle Eastern triad or something"

"From our answers, it seems that the biggest candy asses are in the tech department"

"What about your tech team in Finiks Jurf?"

"They're badasses and I made sure of it before letting them come to the home land"

"Smart move, sis"

"Thanks, brother"

Nyssa and Dakota both approached the room where the rest of the hostages were being kept. They could hear the cries of people inside so they quickly busted down the door and stormed inside.

This room was much bigger than the other ones that the twins had cleared out and there were lots more people too, maybe even reaching up into two hundred

The twins quickly drew their knives and quickly started to cut the hostages' binds. Within the next ten minutes, all of the hostages were freed and ran for the exit, despite the few rags that they were wearing.

"Alright, we got them all. Let's go find your troop before-" Dakota started, but was stopped when almost a hundred masked guards all rushed inside with their guns pointed at Nyssa and Dakota

"Surrender and we will grant you a quick death!" A guard shouted at them

"ten' menya (Shadow me)" Nyssa whispered to Dakota

Dakota quickly jumped around and got back to back with his sister. Nyssa drew her sword out of its sheath and stuck it into the air after giving it a quick twirl. A catastrophic blast of air shot out from the tip and sent all the guards tumbling back to the wall. The use of the sword became something like a thinner when only around twenty of the guards stood up from the ground after that

"Huh, some of them are pretty tolerant" Dakota said as he drew his swords

"Divide and conquer" Nyssa said right before they both rushed in opposite directions and took on about twelve guards each.

To thin his group, Dakota did a series of spins and high jumps with his blades swinging while Nyssa drew her collapsible bow from her belt and started firing at the guards to know them down. Dakota also noticed that because the bow was made up of a very strong metal fiberglass mix, Nyssa was able to use her bow as a shield from incoming attacks.

Dakota had to snap back into reality when three guards tried to attack him with their knives from behind, but thankfully, he was able to hear them and quickly take them out before they could hurt him. After the three were taken down, Dakota only had four more to go. He quickly ran towards them and started throwing punches to throw them off for a moment, then started doing roundhouse kicks to knock them down and out cold. Dakota punched the last guard in the chest twice, then did a roundhouse kick to knock that guy down. Once he was on the ground, Dakota walked over to him and kicked him on the side of the head, making him fall unconscious

Dakota was still standing over the pile of dead or unconscious guards when he felt someone shove him down from behind. Dakota picked his head up from the ground and looked straight into the grey eyes of a guard, who was standing above him and about to bring a knife down on his head. As the guy brought the knife closer, Dakota prepared himself to block the attack, but the man froze suddenly when a black and gold arrow shot straight through his head.

Dakota looked up at the man and watched as he fell down to the floor, revealing a masked assassin with her bow still raised in front of her. Nyssa walked towards Dakota and offered him a hand up

"Wow, thanks sis" Dakota said as he stood up from the ground

"No problem, siblings look after each other" Nyssa smiled as she collapsed her bow and put the handle back on her belt "Let's go find my troop and get back to Finiks Jurf"

Dakota agreed and the twins quickly ran out of the harbor building and outside, where a several cop cars and reporters were. There were also a bunch of ambulances pulled over to one side who looked to be attending to any injuries.

"Looks like the media heard" Dakota said as he pointed out the several flashing cameras that were trying to get a clear photo of Nyssa and Dakota

"Yeah, we need to find the troop quickly" Nyssa said as she started looking around

"My liege…it's you!" A voice whispered from around a corner

Nyssa quickly walked over to the corner and saw nine assassins all gathered together like they were waiting for her.

"Thank you for coming for us! We didn't think we would ever get to return to the league!" A man said with joy

"No one gets left behind" Nyssa said with a smile "Come with us, we can get you back to Finiks Jurf and any family or friends you left behind"

The troop gladly followed Nyssa and Dakota to an secluded yet open area of ground near the water. Nyssa summoned Nuriel, who circled around the group of eleven and brought them to Finiks Jurf.

When Dakota opened his eyes again, he saw Nyssa already walking towards the edge of the cliff they were on, along with the nine assassins

"Alright, I've got a scarf we can use to get down" Nyssa said as she pulled a long, black piece of silk from her armor and fastened it to a stone nearby.

She made sure the silk was secure, then looked over to the troop. They all seemed to smile as they all jumped down the silk and landed on a trail of land outside of one of the caves of Finiks Jurf.

"Do you know how to descend silk?" Nyssa asked when the last troop member was cascading down

"No, but I can use an arrow cable" Dakota said as he shot an arrow into the ground

Nyssa jumped down on the silk and did a series of spins and other acrobatic moves while Dakota slid down the cable and watched his sister. She landed before him and watched him descend the last pit of cable.

"You're going to need to teach me that trick, with the silk" Dakota said as he pulled on the cable, making the arrow fall from its position in the ground above

"It's not something you learn overnight, but I'd be happy to teach you" Nyssa smiled, then turned to the assassin troop "You are all free to head back to your rooms, families, dining hall, or anywhere else you wish to go. If you have injuries that need to be attended to, please stop in the med wing and get them checked out before going out on another mission"

"Thank you, my liege, for your kindness" A man said

"Like I said earlier, no man left behind" Nyssa smiled as they all dispersed on the trails, pathways, and wooden bridges

"So, are you going to follow your advice?" Dakota asked with a smirk "With Oliver?"

"Yeah, you were right" Nyssa started "I should go see him and at least try to get things sorted out"

"Okay then, well why don't we both go to Star City and you can do that. I never completed my original task so I still need to do that and maybe kill two birds with one stone….or trip in this case"

"I get your point, so we should probably get going" Nyssa said as she took down her silk "We can leave right now if you're comfortable with that"

"Yeah, it's perfectly fine with me"

Nyssa smiled at Dakota, then called Nuriel back to her shoulder. The phoenix almost seemed to smile when it started to circle the twins. Their vision became a white light then a warm rush of air blew over them. When the warmth and light vanished, Nyssa and Dakota found themselves on the roof to the penthouse

"Okay, we're right above my home so please, just stay up here for a moment because I might be able to have you actually meet my beloved" Nyssa said as she started walking towards the edge of the rooftop, which was being illuminated by the twilight sky

"I understand, now go see your man!" Dakota cheered quietly

Nyssa gave her brother one last smile, then jumped off the edge of the roof. She landed on the balcony to her and Oliver's room, then quietly walked inside while pulling her hood and veil down. Nyssa, still in her armor, quietly walked out of the bedroom and heard two familiar and loved voices coming from the kitchen.

"We only need about a pinch of that curry at the moment. It's very strong and your tongue will burn off if you put too much of it in" Oliver explained as he helped William pour some ingredients into a pot

"Got it, death by curry would be tragic" William laughed "Is that everything?"

"Nope, let me just get the-" Oliver said as he turned around, but stopped when he noticed a female figure dressed in black in gold, leaning against the doorway "N-Nyssa…."

"Hello Oliver…."


	8. Another Raatko

"N-Nyssa…"

"Hello Oliver…"

"Um, William, can you keep an eye on the food? We'll be back in moment" Oliver asked as he set down the towel in his hands and walked over to Nyssa

"Sure Dad, just don't be long" William said as he took his place by the stovetop

Oliver looked back over at Nyssa and led her over to the office so they could talk in private. Once the door was closed behind them, Oliver took a deep breath before continuing

"I know" Was all Oliver said, making Nyssa go silent "I know that the man that attacked the wedding is your brother….twin brother"

"Look Oliver, I didn't know what I was getting into and I should have told you-" Nyssa started but was cut off

"No, you were right. In that situation, I would have acted on impulse and probably would have tried to kill him. Dakota seems like a nice person who only wanted to find a sister her thought was suffering"

"So are you still pissed off about this whole thing?"

"I'm not angry at you, I would never be. I'm angry at myself for not trusting you more when you're just trying to protect me and William" Oliver started "Nyssa, I love you…more than life itself and it killed me to see you walk out and not come back for two days. While you were gone, I was consumed by guilt and I just want you to know how sorry I am and how-"

Oliver wasn't able to finish his sentence before Nyssa quickly pulled him into a warm kiss. When they pulled away, Oliver looked down at Nyssa and she let a small smile spread across her face

"You're not the only one who's been feel the weight of guilt" Nyssa said quietly. "Dakota and I chased a lead down to Macedonia where a troop of mine were taken into the trafficking business. While we were freeing hostages, I couldn't help but think about you, William, and how bad I screwed up by leaving for so long. I am so sorry that I got impulsive and left without a better explanation"

This time, it was Oliver that made the first move. He wrapped his arm around Nyssa's waist and pulled her into a passionate kiss. Nyssa return the kiss and they continued to kiss for several seconds, not wanting to let each other go again.

"Heh, I guess neither of us can be apart for too long" Oliver said with a small laugh as he pulled away "Are you planning on introducing us to Dakota?"

"Yes! Yeah, I go get him!" Nyssa said excitedly "I'll meet you two in the living room if that's alright"

"It's perfect" Oliver smiled as he watched Nyssa walked out of the office and towards the bedroom balcony. "Hey William! Turn off the stove and meet up in the living room!" Oliver called into the kitchen

Nyssa walked out on the balcony and jumped up the small, metal ladder that was secured to the wall. When she jumped up, she saw Dakota pacing around the roof with a worried look on his face that Nyssa could see, even though he was still wearing his hood and face covering.

"So, how did it go?" Dakota asked as soon as he saw Nyssa approaching him

"It went really well and Oliver wants me to introduce you to him and William" Nyssa said excitedly "Would you be willing to meet them?"

"Yes! Of course" Dakota said excitedly "I need to apologize too…for the wedding thing"

"Yeah, we can get to that eventually" Nyssa said as they both started walking towards the edge of the roof "You can take off the covering and hood, Oliver wouldn't rat you out to any cops or agencies"

Dakota couldn't help but smile when his sister said this, so he slid his dusty blue coverings off. Once they were off, Nyssa and Dakota both jumped off the edge of the roof and landed on the balcony.

"Hold on a sec, this feels weird" Nyssa said as she pulled the circlet off her head and took her hair out of the ponytail "Felt too professional"

"Well if you're getting casual…" Dakota started as he took off a dark silver pendant that was previously hiding underneath his first layer of armor

"Symbol of authority?" Nyssa asked with a smirk

"Yeah, it's not much but it's kind of famous"

"I'll need to help you with that later, it will be better!" Nyssa laughed as they walked out of the bedroom and towards the living room.

Both Nyssa and Dakota walked out of the bedroom and into the living room, where both Oliver and William were waiting. William's eyes widened when he saw Dakota standing next to his mom and how similar they looked.

"Oliver, William, this is Dakota…my twin brother" Nyssa said as she gestured to the man

Oliver was actually a bit dumbfounded by how similar the two of them looked, especially when standing next to each other. The only huge difference was that Dakota's face was more of a diamond shape while Nyssa's was a bit rounder. He was also about two inches taller than her.

"Oliver, I just want to apologize for the whole wedding attack…it was wrong and uncalled for to go after newlyweds and I'm sorry I destroyed your perfect day" Dakota said as he took a half step forward

"Don't worry about it. You were in a bad place thinking that your sister was suffering and got desperate" Oliver started "Besides, it will give us something to tease you about from now on"

"Wait, you want me to stick around?"

"You're Nyssa's brother. Of course we'd want you to stick around" Oliver said with a smile

"Wait a minute, I've got an uncle!" William said excitedly "Quick! What's your favorite food?"

"Uuh…in America, it's Kraft mac n' cheese…that stuff is heavenly" Dakota said with a small laugh

"Dad, he's worthy!" William laughed "We have to have mac n' cheese for dinner tomorrow!"

"Hey sis, did you hear? I'm worthy!" Dakota laughed

"We'll see. William has some high standards. Don't be fooled" Nyssa replied with a smirk

"You don't believe I can win the spot of uncle?"

"Not that, I just think you should watch out"

"Hey Dad, can Dakota stay for dinner?" William asked

"I don't see why not, after all, he's family" Oliver smiled "I'll get everything plated"

"We should go change. No weapons at the table" Nyssa laughed, then turned to Dakota "Do you have something to change into?"

"Yeah, I just leave a normal set of clothing underneath all this" Dakota said while gesturing to his armor

Nyssa and Dakota both left the room and returned a few minutes later, both dressed in normal attire. Nyssa was just wearing a cardigan, light shirt and leggings while Dakota was dressed in jeans with a light grey tee shirt

"What are you guys making for dinner?" Dakota asked as he and Nyssa both walked into the kitchen

"Red curry stir fry thing….Thai food!" William said excitedly "Mom's favorite!"

"You're not wrong there, buddy" Nyssa smiled as she walked over to where Oliver was standing "It's almost like you knew I was coming back tonight"

"I had a feeling" Oliver smirked before pulling Nyssa into a kiss

"I called it! It's the perfect couple!" Dakota said when the couple pulled away from each other

"Shut it Dakota" Nyssa laughed "We were trying to have a moment"

"Sorry, just had to call for my money" Dakota chuckled

"Alright, I think everything's ready so we can all sit down" Oliver said as he and Nyssa both grabbed two plates of food and set them at the table

"So when are you two leaving for the honeymoon?" Dakota asked as he took a seat next to William

"We're scheduled to leave tomorrow afternoon" Oliver started "You still want to go, right?"

"Why would I not! We're still going" Nyssa smiled

"Wait, where are you guys going? I'm actually really curious!" Dakota pitched in

"Thailand and the Australian coast" Oliver replied "It's going to be a great two weeks filled with warm sand and beautiful sunsets"

"That sounds nice. You have to tell me all about it when you get back! I've always wanted to go to Thailand but running the order hasn't given me the time"

"We'll be sure to tell you everything you need to know" Oliver chuckled

"Wait, so who's the older twin?" William asked

"Who do you think?" Dakota asked with a smirk

"Uuh…you're taller but Mom looks a bit older so I'm going to say Mom" William replied after looking back and forth between his mom and uncle

"Sorry William, but Dakota's got a full four minutes on me" Nyssa said with a small laugh

"Dang, that's some beautiful deception" William laughed. "Alright! Twenty questions for the twin to find out who's better!"

"Who's better?" Nyssa and Dakota both asked together

"Just go with it" Oliver laughed as he put his hand on Nyssa's shoulder

"Alright! First question" William said with a smirk "Birthday"

"May 10th, 1985!" Both twins called out in sync

"I know that one's correct" Oliver chuckled "My turn to ask a question, weapon of choice"

"Sword, definitely a sword" Nyssa replied

"I agree, but I use twin blades" Dakota piped up

"Woooow, that's perfect" William giggled "Do you know how to use twin swords, Mom?"

"I know how to, but I'm better with a single blade. Dakota is fantastic with them" Nyssa replied

"I'm good with the twin blades, but I'm terrible with a bow. Maybe we teach each other how to use the other's weapon as a side activity?"

"Yeah, that could be fun but I'm not going easy on you" Nyssa said with a smirk

"I wouldn't expect you to since you're the head of the phoenix league. I doubt you show your assassins mercy in sparring sessions"

"You got that right"

"Hey, this seems like the perfect time to bring it up, but there's a game night down in the bunker tonight. I wasn't planning on attending but this could be a good opportunity for you to introduce Dakota as an ally to the team" Oliver announced

"Yeah, maybe we could do that after dinner" Nyssa suggested

"I'm open to anything, I just need to get that thing done by the end of the week" Dakota replied

"Well it's only Tuesday so I think you'll be alright" Nyssa started "So are we going to the bunker after dinner?"

"Yeah Dad! We should do that! Zoe said she'll be there and maybe Nyssa can get in contact with Kaida!" William exclaimed

"Kaida and her mom are still trying to get moved in and adjusted to American lifestyle, so they are taking the week to explore nearby cities" Nyssa said

"That's too bad, but Zoe is still going to be there so can we go?"

"I suppose we could go" Oliver said as he got up from the table and started clearing away plates

"Cool! You up for a match, sis?" Dakota asked as he got up and started helping Oliver

"Sure, you can pick the weapon when we get there" Nyssa replied

"Nice, I'm going to go put my armor back on so we can head out. Are you two going to ride together or do we all want to go by rooftop?" Dakota asked

"I'm fine with rooftop if you and William are alright with it" Nyssa said as she turned towards Oliver

"C'mon Dad! You and Nyssa will both be with me so there's no chance of me dying or something" William stated

"Fair enough. Let's go with rooftops" Oliver replied

Dakota smiled at Oliver, then left the room to put on his armor. William scampered towards his bedroom to grab his backpack, leaving Nyssa and Oliver alone.

"So…is everything going alright in the mayor's office?" Nyssa asked as she walked over to the sink with some plates in hand

"Everything's where it should be so I guess it's good for the most part" Oliver started "I've just been focusing on you lately so I don't know all the details, but Thea knows if you're curious"

"Nah, I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay with it all"

"Thanks. Do you need to pack for when we leave tomorrow?"

"I can do it later on or tomorrow morning. I don't need much" Nyssa said "What about you beloved?"

"I've got a few more things to get, but then I'm done" Oliver replied "Why do we got get dressed so we can get across the rooftops without falling?"

"Yeah, that wouldn't be too much fun" Nyssa said with a small laugh

Oliver and Nyssa walked back to their bedroom where they saw Dakota putting his twin swords into a sheath on his back that was angled to his left.

"Hey! You finally made it!" Dakota chuckled "I'll be waiting outside with William"

"Thanks Dakota" Oliver said as he watched the assassin walk into the hallway

Nyssa walked over to a chair off in the corner and took her armor off it. She was in the middle of putting her quiver on when Oliver snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her chest and kissed her neck

"You're feeling a bit frisky tonight, aren't you?" Nyssa teased

"Just excited for the honeymoon" Oliver whispered in between kisses

"I can tell" Nyssa said with a small laugh as she turned around and gave Oliver a kiss of her own "But William and Dakota are still outside"

"Ugh…time doesn't pass quick enough" Oliver replied with a chuckle

"I told you we don't need plane tickets. Instead, we can just go by phoenix so you don't have to wait any longer"

"I might just do that"

"Do whatever you want beloved. I just want to be with you"

"Very well"

"I see you're already to go"

"Yeah, I didn't want to keep William waiting, but then I saw you" Oliver said with a smirk

"I hate to disappoint you, but I'm also ready to go so I guess we have to go"

"Right, let's get going"

-(=+=)-

"WOOOW! That was so much fun!" William said once his parents, Dakota, and him were all on the ground outside the bunker's secret entrance

"It was fun getting to take you up there so I'm glad you enjoyed it" Oliver said as he and the rest of his family walked inside

Nyssa was leading the way with Dakota at her side. Oliver and William followed close behind and could hear the twins' conversation

"Alright, so don't do or say anything stupid or regarding anything prior to the wedding incident because I guarantee that someone will try to shoot you with something" Nyssa said to her brother as she removed her coverings

Meanwhile, in the main room of the bunker, Lenora, Jacob, and Katara were all trying to organize a dance routine to the song 'Wildcard (KSHMR)'. Dig, Rene, Dinah, Curtis, and Zoe were all standing by and watching as Lenora tried to show Jacob how to do a flip with a certain rhythm.

"C'mon Jacob, you have to position one foot out so you can get a quick kick off. Katara's not an acrobat but she was able to pull it off" Lenora laughed

"I don't get how you women can do this! My feet are killing me!" Jacob laughed as he positioned himself once more

"Would you rather do a flip with the violin because there's another routine where Katara was thinking about doing a dance with the violins" Lenora teased

"Oh god no…please no"

"Yes Jacob! Go for it!" Dinah cheered

"I'll go get the violin!" Lenora laughed as she walked towards another room

"Wait, do you guys hear that?" Rene asked as he stood up from where he was leaning "That voice"

The rest of the team perked up and listened. They could hear a terrifyingly familiar, male voice with a slight British accent but it wasn't as thick as Nyssa's was.

"Wait, you're telling me that your Ex has a freaking ship that can travel back and forward in the time line?!" The male asked with excitement in his tone

"Yeah, I was dumbfounded as well, but it's actually really neat!" Nyssa replied as their footsteps because audible by the team

Rene quickly grabbed a knife off of the table he was at and threw it in the direction the voice were coming from as soon as he could see the two figures. The knife flew across the room and straight towards Dakota. Nyssa saw the knife first and quickly threw a tranq dart from her bracer at it and knocked it to the ground right before it hit Dakota's heart

"Um…thanks but….what was that?!" Dakota asked as he looked down at the knife, then Nyssa, then the direction where the knife came from

"Yeah, that's a good question…Rene" Nyssa said as she looked over to the group where Rene was standing dumbfounded "What's with the knife throwing?"

"I-er…w-what the hell is he doing here in the bunker?! He attacked your wedding!" Rene exclaimed, a bit enraged

"Chill it Rene, he's allowed to be in here" Oliver said as he emerged from behind Nyssa and Dakota "Perhaps I should let my lovely wife explain?"

"Aw, thanks beloved" Nyssa laughed as she and Dakota walked over to the group

"Uh, Oliver. Did you and Nyssa hit your head too hard in a fight because you guys just brought a psychopath down here that was looking to kill Nyssa" Dig whispered

"Yes Dig, I'm completely aware of who we just brought into the bunker" Oliver started, then turned to Nyssa "I think they want an explanation"

"Right" Nyssa said with a guilty laugh "This is Dakota, my twin brother"

"Wait, is my last name Saracon or Raatko?" Dakota whispered

"Saracon was the name of your foster mother, Raatko was our mother and father's last name so you would be a Raatko but keep which ever name you want" Nyssa whispered back

"Okay then" Dakota quietly laughed "Nice to meet you all, Dakota Raatko"

"I'm sorry, twin brother?!" Rene asked with a look of shock and a bit of panic on his face

"Yeah, I just found out about four days ago and he found out about two days ago" Nyssa replied

"Okay…this is strange…" Rene said

"Yeah, and they look exactly the same….except for the one major difference, Nyssa's thicker accent, and Dakota's face…" Lenora said as she looked at the two "But other than that, they're exactly the same!"

"Uh, thanks?" Dakota said as he looked down at Nyssa, who just smiled

"You're doing fine" Nyssa whispered "Alright! Sparring session, pick your weapon!"

"Swords of course! It's both of our preferred weapon" Dakota laughed

"Very well then" Nyssa said as she took off her quiver and set it to the side along with her bow

Dakota did the same and they both walked over to a training mat. They drew their swords from the sheaths on their backs and took their stances. The rest of team arrow, William and Zoe all gathered around the perimeter of the mat to watch the battle that was about to take place

"You guys don't have to be refs, we aren't kids" Nyssa said while keeping her eyes on her brother

"Are you kidding?! I'm sure everyone wants to see the epic twin showdown!" Jacob laughed

"Suit yourselves, but there may be collateral damage" Dakota laughed with a smirk

"Wait a minute…." Jacob said as he started backing away slowly

"You ready sis?"

"As ever, brother"

Nyssa and Dakota both ran towards each other and their blades immediately hit each other. Dakota swung one of his blades at Nyssa's head, but she ducked underneath it and swept her legs underneath Dakota's. Dakota fell to the ground with the top of his back hitting the mat first, but when his feet hit, he pushed them back up and sprung up before Nyssa could pin him down.

Dakota started advancing on his twin by doing continuous attacks aimed towards her center. Dakota decided to switch things up a bit and went for an attack at Nyssa's legs, but right as the blade came near her legs, Nyssa did a side aerial (no handed cartwheel) right over the blade, receiving a small applause from the team.

"Nice job Mom! Keep going!" William called out to her

Nyssa couldn't help but smile when her son called out to her, but she had to focus on Dakota so he didn't try anything dirty.

Dakota kept swinging his swords at Nyssa, but she was able to block all of his incoming attacks with some quick swings but she had to add a backflip in to avoid a more unexpected hit.

Nyssa started to go a bit harder on Dakota and started advancing on him. Dakota started backing up, creating distance in between them, but Nyssa ran forward at him. Dakota expected a sudden center hit, but Nyssa ran forward, got down on her knees, and slid right underneath Dakota. Once she was behind him, Nyssa sprung up and pushed the back of her blade against Dakota's back, making him fall face first on the ground. Nyssa placed her left foot on his back to keep him down, then kicked his swords away with her right. Once the blades were kicked away, Nyssa pinned her brother down by putting her cold blade against his neck

"Guess I win this time" Nyssa said as she offered her brother a hand up

"Yeah, I guess so. I'm going to need to practice with phoenix league members so I can go against you again with a better idea of what to expect" Dakota replied as he got up

"Well you're always welcome in the home land so stop by whenever you want, but I can't promise that I'll always be there"

"Good to know, I'll be sure to stop here in Star City if I want to see you" Dakota stated "Anyway, what else do you guys do on game night?"

"Usually we play a board game, eat takeout, place bets on sparring teams, and on occasion, Katara and I will try to write a dance routine" Lenora replied

"Interesting" Dakota said with a smirk "Team sparring sounds fun"

"Beloved, you're with me. Dakota, you're with Lenora" Nyssa smirked "This is going to be fun!"

"Woah, how did I get pulled into this?" Lenora asked as she grabbed her sword and sheath, which she threw over her back

"Not sure, but I'm in the same situation" Oliver laughed, then turned to Nyssa "Do you have a sword I could use?"

"Yeah, one sec" Nyssa said as she walked across the room

Nyssa returned a minute later with a sword in a curved, black, leather sheath. Nyssa drew the sword out of the sheath and handed it to Oliver

"This is your old sword. Are you sure you want me using it?" Oliver asked as he took the blade

"No sword should go unused, so I hope you can use it well" Nyssa smiled "Go ahead and use it. Besides, this is my sword" Nyssa said while motioning to the golden handled sword on her back

Oliver smiled as he took the curved sword from Nyssa and joined her on one side of the mat. Dakota and Lenora were already on the other side with their swords drawn and ready to fight.

"Alright, bets! Anyone in?" Lenora asked

"I'm putting twenty on my wife!" Jacob chuckled

"Really? Fifty on Nyssa and Oliver" Katara smirked

"My money is on Oliver, twenty five" Dig smirked

"Ten on Hos and Nyssa" Rene said

"Twenty on Dakota and Lenora" Dinah pitched in

"Fifteen on Dakota" Curtis said

"Alright, all bets are in!" Katara exclaimed "Eighty five on Nyssa and Oliver, fifty five on Lenora and Dakota"

"Wooow, they don't believe in us" Lenora chuckled

"Well let's show them that we are the better team" Dakota laughed

"Begin when ready" Katara announced

Oliver and Nyssa both looked at each other and smiled. The pair looked back at Dakota and Lenora who were staring at them as if it was an actual battle to the death.

"Go Mom and Dad! Don't make Katara loose that fifty!" William laughed

When William said this, the two teams ran straight towards each other and their swords clashed, marking the beginning of the first battle

-(=+=)-

The betting and fights continued late into the night. After a few matches with swords, they switched to bo staffs and escrima sticks. At one point, Lenora and Jacob even had a Russian knife roulette for betting and to everyone's surprise, Jacob won it, making Oliver loose fifteen dollars to Rene.

At some time around two in the morning, the team decided to call it a night. Rene took Zoe home but promised that they would both be there for the next game night. Curtis and Dinah left as well, just because they were tired while Dig and Katara left since they had families to get back to.

Oliver, William, Nyssa and Dakota were the last ones left down in the bunker and William was trying really hard to stay awake. While Oliver gathered their things, Nyssa wandered over to Dakota, who was sitting on a table sharpening his swords

"So where are you planning on staying tonight?" Nyssa asked as she jumped up and sat on a table across from her brother

"The order has a safe house on the perimeter of the LD. It's actually really nice and since it's just me tonight, I was going to go out and chase down a lead, then go there and sleep until noon"

"Are you sure you don't want to stay in the penthouse with Oliver and I? We have a guest room that you could use"

"I'm sure, besides, this is all a bit sudden and I think there should be some time to adjust before I'm staying at your place"

"Well it's not going to be our place for long"

"What do you mean?" Dakota asked "Wait, are you getting evicted?!"

"No, not that. Lenora and Jacob are staying in a league safe house on the edge of town. They wanted to move further into the city and try some new things so they offered Oliver and I the safe house!"

"Congrats! When are you guys going to move in?"

"We were planning on moving in when we get back from our honeymoon. Lenora and Jacob will be moved into their new apartment by then so we can just grab our things and go"

"That's rather convenient" Dakota smiled "Maybe I'll buy an apartment here in Star City so I can be closer to my sis"

"What about the order? Don't you have to run that?"

"Not entirely. Unlike your league, the order has something like a board of directors and I'm one of those members. If I step out for a bit, my position will still be held but the order can run without me"

"That's actually kind of nice" Nyssa started "You know, if you're looking to settle down here in Star City, you could always become the head trainer for the security team in city hall. My friend Tarren is the director and he hasn't been able to find a good trainer yet. I think you would do him justice"

"What about you? Has he asked you?"

"Yeah, but was on the security detail as the next head before I created the league. Since I'm still running it, I can't be a trainer, run the league, and be a good mother all at the same time. It would be a bit much if you know what I mean"

"Totally" Dakota chuckled "I'll definitely put some thought into the job, but I think you should get home. William's looking like he's going to fall asleep any minute and you're leaving for your honeymoon tomorrow morning"

"Yeah, you're right" Nyssa smiled "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll say goodbye before you leave and if you want, I can help the Diggles watch William while you're gone"

"I'm sure they would appreciate that and I bet William would love to get to know his uncle better"

"Cool! I'll come by the penthouse tomorrow morning around eleven" Dakota said as he jumped off the table "Night sis"

"Night brother"

Nyssa watched as Dakota walked out of the bunker and out towards the ally. Once he was gone, Nyssa jumped off the table and walked over to Oliver, who was walking with William over to Nyssa

"I got all your armor" Oliver said as he passed Nyssa her bag "But I have a favor to ask"

"Go right ahead beloved"

"Can you call Nuriel to take us home? I don't want to try and get across rooftops with William about ready to fall asleep"

"Of course" Nyssa smiled

Nyssa created a ring of fire, but did her best to keep in contained since they were in doors. The ring of fire slowly took the form of a giant phoenix which circled around the family of three. The blinding light came followed by the warm breeze. When it passed, Oliver and Nyssa both opened their eyes and found themselves in the middle of the living room of the penthouse

"I am going straight to bed….night" William said as he tiredly wandered to his bedroom

"Night buddy" Oliver and Nyssa called in sync

William lifted his hand and gave a small wave before closing the door to his room. Nyssa and Oliver both walked back into their bedroom and set down their bags of armor.

"I've got to take a shower…I reek of sweat" Oliver chuckled before kissing Nyssa "In case you fall asleep before I get out"

"Don't worry, I still have to pack for tomorrow" Nyssa smiled

Oliver nodded and walked into the bathroom. A few minutes later, Nyssa could hear the sound of water, meaning that Oliver had already gotten in. Nyssa walked over to the walk in closet and pulled out one of the small suitcases that was underneath a shelf. Once it was out on the floor, Nyssa grabbed some sets of clothes and put it inside. After getting all the basics, Nyssa grabbed a few extra non metal knives, just in case something happened.

When she was done packing, Nyssa changed into some loose sweats and a tank top. She started walking out of the closet and into the bedroom when she heard the bathroom door open. Oliver emerged from the bathroom wearing some loose shorts and a tee shirt, but his hair was what caught Nyssa's attention

"You're doing that starring thing when something's wrong" Oliver chuckled as he looked over at his wife, who had her hand on her chin while her eyes scanned Oliver from head to toe "What's wrong?"

"There is something really off about your appearance right now" Nyssa chuckled "Found it"

Nyssa walked over to Oliver and reached her hand up to the top of his head. There was part of his hair that naturally pushed itself to the right, but after the shower, it had been pushed to the left. Nyssa pushed it back into place, then looked back at Oliver

"There! That was really bothering me" Nyssa laughed

"You know me too well" Oliver chuckled as he leaned in to kiss Nyssa "And that OCD thing is really cute"

"It's not OCD, it's just that your hair doesn't 'fit' if it's out of place"

"Well you would know"

"Yes I would" Nyssa smiled as she pulled Oliver into another kiss "So are we going to be taking the plane tomorrow or do you want to use Nuriel?"

"Would you be willing to take us there? Because that would be so much nicer than a nineteen hour flight"

"Of course beloved. It will be nice to have an additional nineteen hours on the beach"

"You were going to bring your armor, weren't you?" Oliver asked with a smirk

"Yeah, because I knew you were going to bring your suit" Nyssa replied with a smile

"Again, you know me too well" Oliver said as he climbed underneath the sheet of the bed "So I was thinking, we did really well in those team bets which led me to wondering what would happen if I added a hidden sword to by suit"

"Well I think it's a wonderful idea" Nyssa smiled as she curled up next to Oliver "It's like that American saying 'the more the merrier' but with weapons"

"The more the merrier refers to people who you like to be around" Oliver laughed

"Hmm, not the right analogy I suppose?"

"Yeah, I think it's a bit off"

"Well then, glad someone told me" Nyssa laughed

-(=+=)-

The morning light danced across Nyssa's face, making her wake up to a pleasant sight. From her position on the bed, she could see the city bustling with people through the wall of windows that was beside her bed.

After taking a moment to admire the view, Nyssa quietly got out of bed so she wouldn't wake her beloved. She walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Once she was inside, Nyssa turned on the shower and jumped inside after discarding the clothes she was wearing.

Oliver woke up a few minutes after Nyssa had turned the water off. He could hear her soft footsteps in the bathroom, but was too comfortable to get out of bed. The bathroom door opened and Nyssa walked out wearing casual dress with a short sleeve white top, navy blue high low skirt, and a braided belt on her waist. Her wet hair was also let down, making her even more beautiful in Oliver's opinion

"Morning beloved, I'm assuming you slept well?" Nyssa asked as she crawled onto the bed and sat down at Oliver's feet

"Quite well thanks, but why do you always get up so early? It's only seven thirty in the morning"

"I'm just used to it and I wanted to take a shower before we left"

"I see, so are you all packed up?"

"Yes I am! Are you?"

"Yeah. Do you want to go make breakfast with William before we go?"

"Sure, what were you thinking?"

"I liked the sound of pancakes. What do you think?"

"I think your pancakes are amazing and that we should definitely do it" Nyssa smiled as she jumped up from the bed "I'll go see if William is awake"

Oliver smiled as he watched Nyssa leave the room to go find their son. He soon got out of bed himself and changed into something more appropriate. When he was finished with that, he took the two bags he and Nyssa packed the night before and set them outside the door to their bedroom. Once that was all done, Oliver walked into the kitchen where he saw Nyssa pulling some stuff out of the fridge

"William was still asleep so he should be in here soon" Nyssa stated as she closed the fridge door "I think I got everything but you're the master"

"Yup, you got everything" Oliver smiled as he kissed Nyssa "Are you going to help out?"

"Of course I am, I like being around you and your pancakes"

"Sorry I'm late! I was having a good dream but then it went to crap and it was really disappointing" William said as he came into the kitchen and sat down on a stool

"What was the dream about, buddy?" Oliver asked as he started to mix the batter

"It was weird. I was on a pirate ship and I was the captain, which was really cool, but then for some reason, the ship did something like a barrel roll and started sailing upside down almost like the pirates of the Caribbean but the world didn't change or the boat didn't flip back up. Everyone on the ship became merfolk but soon died from suffication….it was quite confusing" William recalled

"Wow….that's, uh, interesting" Oliver chuckled

"Did you have a strange dream too?" William asked hopefully

"Not a strange one" Oliver started "You, me and Mom were sitting on the roof looking at the stars on a clear night. It was quite a nice dream actually"

"That does sound nice" William started "Did you have a dream last night, Mom?"

"Yeah actually. I believe I was fighting a bunch of meta humans in Russia, but me and Dad were together so we were able to take them down. It was quite exciting" Nyssa replied

"William wins for the strangest dream" Oliver chuckled "Now I want to have a strange dream like that just to see what it does to you in the morning"

"You feel weird, like there's more to this world than what meets the eye but you can't put it together so it just fades form your memory" William explained

"Wow, that sounded very wise buddy" Nyssa commented "But he's right"

"I don't doubt it" Oliver chuckled as he placed down two large plates with pancakes

"It's like thanksgiving but breakfast style!" William said as he marveled at the stack of pancakes in front of him

Oliver and Nyssa both pulled down some plates for the pancakes. Oliver started plating them while Nyssa grabbed the syrup that she and William both loved to pieces. Nyssa and Oliver were standing across the counter from William eating pancakes when there was a knock on the door.

"Ah! I know who that is" Nyssa said as she walked over to the front door

"Hey sis! I said I would drop by. Am I interrupting something?" Dakota asked when the door was opened

"Not at all! We're just having breakfast. There's pancakes if you'd like some" Nyssa said as she stepped aside so he could walk in

"That would we great if you don't mind having me" Dakota replied

Nyssa smiled and led Dakota into the kitchen where her family was still eating pancakes

"Morning Queens! Is it alright if I join you for breakfast?" Dakota asked

"Go right ahead! I think I made too many pancakes" Oliver chuckled as he slid a plate over to Dakota, who sat next to William

"There's no such thing beloved. Your pancakes might as well be sacred" Nyssa laughed

"Aww, thanks beloved" Oliver said as he gave Nyssa a quick kiss

-(=+=)-

"Are you sure we have everything?" Oliver asked as he grabbed the suitcases from the side of the bedroom and pulled them into the living room

"I'm positive! We just pack light" Nyssa replied as she grabbed both of their bags of armor

"That makes sense" Oliver smiled "Okay, I think since we have everything, we should take off"

"Don't worry man. William's in good hands so don't worry about a thing while you're gone" Dig said

"Thank you both so much for agreeing to have William while we're gone" Oliver said, then turned to William "Please behave yourself while we're gone. You have your phone with you so if you want to call, go ahead and do so at any time of the day and one of us will pick up"

"Don't worry Dad! I'll be fine. You and Mom should just worry about having a good time with each other" William smiled "And while you're gone, I'll get to spend more time with my new uncle"

"Yeah, we're going to have so much fun while you guys are gone!" Dakota chuckled

"Heh, I know you will" Nyssa chuckled, then walked over to her brother "But if William is harmed in any way while he's in your watch, I will not hesitate to give you a beating that you will remember"

"Don't worry, he's safe with me" Dakota smiled as he pulled Nyssa into a hug "Love you sis"

"Love you too brother" Nyssa said when they pulled away, then turned to William, who ran straight into her arms "You be good while we're gone and like Dad said, if you need anything or you just want to talk, don't hesitate to call"

"Right Mom, I love you" William said as he pulled away

"I love you too" Nyssa smiled

Oliver walked over to William and did the same thing, then stepped back with Nyssa and nodded

"Thanks again Dig" Oliver said as Nyssa started to create the ring of fire

"No problem man! Just enjoy the time away!" Dig called as the fire took the form of Nuriel

The phoenix started ti circle around them faster and faster until a blinding white light filled the living room, forcing everyone to shut their eyes for a moment. When they opened them, Oliver, Nyssa, and the few bags they had packed had vanished completely without a trace

"So! How about we all go get some lunch, then go down to the bunker where we're doing some more extreme betting?" Dig asked

"What kind of extreme?" Dakota asked curiously

"Okay, imagine Lenora's Russian knife roulette but with more people and different weapons and different physical challenges" Dig replied

"That sounds like fun, let's do it" Dakota replied "Are you in William?"

"Heck yeah! Can I participate?" William asked

"We'll have to see, but most likely, the answer will be yes at some point or another" Lyla pitched in

"Sounds fair to me, let's go!"

 **Author's Note: Alright, so for the next chapter, I could do some honeymoon fluff and a couple scenes in Star City with William and the team, but I decided against it. Instead, the next chapter is just going to be centered around flashbacks to Oliver and Nyssa, starting at first time they met all the way to the island and the previous flashback I did with William meeting Nyssa after the explosions. If you have any requests for flashbacks that are a bit outside the main story line, let me know in the reviews so I can add it in!**


	9. Remember All Those Years Ago?

**Author's Note: Alright! So this is going to be in place of a bunch of repetitive honeymoon fluff and Star City scenes with William and the gang. Instead, I wanted to visit a bunch of flashbacks from the five seasons of Arrow where I think there should have been a scene with Oliver and Nyssa. I'm going to start from the first episode she appeared in (2x13) and go up from there. I'll be picking up with some honeymoon stuff in the next chapter so until then, enjoy!**

 **-(=+=)- -(=+=)- -(=+=)-**

 ** _Starling City-February 2014_**

Escaping a crime scene had always been incredibly easy for Nyssa, especially with all the training her father had given her. Without being noticed by any cops or even The Arrow, or the hood as people called him, Nyssa slipped out of the old warehouse and was walking through some allies towards the safe house where she was staying.

The sound of sirens echoing through the air and then them getting louder is what made Nyssa pick up her pace before someone saw her. She had no doubts that Dinah or Quentin would give the police a description so they could find her, but then again, being put in an American prison sounded so much better than what was in store for her back in Nanda Parbat with her father. Knowing that no matter where she went, her father would find her, Nyssa decided that she should get back home so others don't get hurt when it's unnecessary.

-(=+=)-

Oliver was able to get out of the warehouse before the police came in. He watched from a distance as Sara was led out, wrapped in a blanket and seated on the rear step. Sara subtly looked up towards Oliver and gave him a faint smile. He smiled back before Sara's parents ran over to her and pulled her into their arms again.

After seeing that Sara was with the people she needed to be with at the moment, Oliver jumped down into an alley way and started walking back towards Verdant. He had been running and walking for around five minutes before he heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. Oliver quickly shot a grappling arrow up to the roof of the nearest building and pulled himself up. As soon as he was hidden, he saw a female figure dressed in black in red.

Nyssa had just come into Oliver's sight when a long, black piece of silk tumbled down from the rooftop across from him. Oliver watched as another assassin dressed like Malcolm Merlyn spun down the silk and landed in front of Nyssa.

"Ra's al Ghul requests your presence back in Nanda Parbat" The masked assassin announced

"I am aware and I will be returning home shortly. There is something I need to take care of first" Nyssa replied

"There is a plane on the old air strip that is waiting to take off with a group that's already there. They will be leaving within the hour and your father expects you to be on that ride"

"Very well" Nyssa replied as she started walking past the assassin, but he stopped her by grabbing her arm

"Speaking as a friend, you did the right thing Nyssa" The male assassin said with a bit of sadness in his voice "I'm just sorry that your father does not see it as that way"

"If I did the right thing then why does it hurt so bad?" Nyssa asked as she turned back towards the assassin

"It's the feeling of a broken heart. You loved her with all of yours, but she didn't love you enough to return that love"

"Well I'm about to get another scar or two to remind me of a broken heart…"

"You'll find someone again…I'm sorry that she wasn't the one…"

"I doubt there's someone in this world that would accept me for who I am, especially with all my mistakes"

Before the man could reply, Nyssa ducked around a corner and Oliver watched as she wiped a tear away from her face when she was out of sight from the other assassin. The assassin Nyssa was talking to pulled the silk down from the rooftop and ran off into the night.

"Jesus Christ….her father tortures she makes a mistake…." Oliver muttered as he watched Nyssa disappear into the darkness.

For the strangest reason, Oliver could feel his heart ache for the assassin, even after she poisoned Laurel, kidnapped Dinah, and became the overall reason why Sara tried to kill herself and yet, all of that was to get Sara back.

-(=+=)-

Nyssa walked through another alley near the old air field and could see the sight of the plane getting larger and larger. All she could think about at that moment was the love she forced herself into that had now become a toxic relationship, and she had seven scars to prove her point; one for every time Sara messed up on a mission.

And what was that excuse 'I can't take the killing anymore'? If that had been the reason why she wouldn't return to the league willingly, then Nyssa would have been happy to drive the sword through someone's chest, just to keep Sara with her, but now, it was different. Nyssa could now see that Sara had left Nanda Parbat without one glance back to her, like she hadn't been there all these years and the only attempt Sara made to contact her after she left was when Nyssa kidnapped her mother. Selfish was the only word that Nyssa could think of to describe what had just happened.

-(=+=)- -(=+=)-

 ** _Starling City-May 2014_**

"I'm glad to see you got my message" Sara said as she approached Nyssa and the six assassins behind her. "I need your help"

"What do you want from the league, Ta-er al-sahfer?" Nyssa asked coldly

"I-um…" Sara started, looking extremely hurt "You used to call me Sara…."

"That all changed when you left. I made a mistake and I will not make the same one again" Nyssa started "Now what is it that you needed us for?"

"Someone named Slade Wilson is threatening to destroy the entire city with some super powered soldiers. The team and I need your help taking them down"

"The league does not just do as people ask. You must be willing to give us something that we seek" Nyssa started "You should know this"

"I'm willing to return to the league if you help us get the city back" Sara said, her voice still shaking slightly

"I released you from the league and you are willing to come back?"

"I've put some thought into it and I came to realize that the needs of the many, innocent people outweigh the needs of one person, who can survive the horrors that life can throw"

"Very well" Nyssa said "Where do we start?"

"Verdant, where we're hiding out to get the cure prepared"

Sara led the seven league members out of the alley way and into a few more until they reached the hidden entrance to Verdant. Sara walked through the metal door first, followed by Nyssa and the six other assassins.

"Slade has at least fifty or so of his human weapons. We're going to need a whole army if we plan on hitting them with a cure" Dig started

"I know" A female voice called out "Which is why an army is what I've brought"

The members of team arrow that were down in the bunker turned around with their weapons drawn and saw that Sara had led Nyssa and six other assassins into their 'top secret lair'. Oliver looked straight into the dark eyes of the woman who he had seen in the alley almost three months ago.

"Gee Sara, you could have called before you invited…" Felicity started as she started counting the assassins with her "Seven assassin into our top secret lair"

"What is she doing here?" Oliver asked in a stern voice, although he was slightly happy that she wasn't dead

"Look, I asked her to come here" Sara said as she stepped out in front of Oliver

"I am Nyssa. Daughter of Ra's al Ghul. Heir to the demon" Nyssa said with a cold smirk as she approached the fragile blonde

"Felicity Smoak. MIT class of '09"

Nyssa couldn't help but smirk _. If this is what their IT girl was like, all fragile and timid, then how was this team still functioning. They must have some incredibly low standards. I doubt she even knows how to hold a bow properly!_ Nyssa thought as she watched Oliver 'beat up' Sara for making the right call

"You may not want my help Mr. Queen, but there is little question and you are in desperate need of it" Nyssa said as she finally approached the two to end their whispering

"First we need to find Slade's base of operations" Sara stated

"Slade Wilson and Isabel Rochev are using your former office building as he base of operations" Nyssa announced

Both Sara and Nyssa watched as Oliver and the rest of the team started bustling around, trying to get things prepared for the fight. Eventually, Sara walked away from Nyssa without saying a second word. Nyssa walked back over to the assassins she brought and waited with them. In her opinion, this team took too long to prepare as they tried to make a sentimental and memorable moment at any given opportunity, like Oliver was doing at the moment while handing Roy a nice box with a simple mask in side.

"We do this my way!" Oliver announced to the assassins after Roy accepted the mask

"The league does not take prisoners" Nyssa replied coldly

"It does tonight" Oliver said before walking away

 _The only reason you're in this mess is because you didn't have the gut to kill Slade Wilson when you had the opportunity_ Nyssa thought as she watched the team keep bustling around

"You and your men are going to need these" Sara said as she passed Nyssa about a dozen injection arrows, filled with a serum that would supposedly rid the soldiers of the Mirakuru. "Look, I'm really sorry about…everything that's happened…."

"It's unhealthy to discuss one's personal feelings before a battle" Nyssa said as she put the arrows in her quiver "Is that why your team is an organizational mess?"

"Nyssa…"

"Like I said, there's a war to fight"

-(=+=)-

"And I think that this would look good on you" Sara smiled as she took off the jacket that Nyssa had given her as a gift and held it out to Laurel

A smile grew across Laurel's face as Sara helped her put on the jacket. Once it was on, Laurel turned back towards her sister

"It fits"

Sara smiled at her before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek

"Goodbye Dad" Sara said before walking towards the boarding plank, where Nyssa was waiting for her

Sara jumped on the plank and walked into the ship after giving a final wave goodbye to her father and sister.

"So, a three day journey back to Nanda Parbat. How are we going to spend it?" Sara asked with a smirk "Because I know how you like to pass the time"

"Oh, do you?" Nyssa smirked

"When it comes to you, nothing beats a good ol' game of poker" Sara laughed as she pulled a deck of cards out from her back pocket "I'm glad we were able to work things out"

"As am I" Nyssa smiled "Now let' get a game going"

"You're on!"

-(=+=)- -(=+=)-

 ** _Nanda Parbat-October 2014_**

Nyssa walked back into the grand, stone fortress after completing a mission in India. It had been a weeklong trip and Nyssa couldn't wait to see her beloved again, who should have returned from her mission in Star City; tracking Malcolm Merlyn, who might not be so dead after all.

Nyssa made her way to the main hall where her father stood in front of the Lazarus pit. Nyssa approached him, knelt down on one knee, then placed her bow at her side.

"Venedikt Markar has been disposed of like you asked. The mission was a success" Nyssa said as she glanced down at the ground

"Good" Ra's said as he turned around to face his daughter "You may return to your quarters"

"Has Ta-er al-sahfer returned?"

"I'm afraid not. She must have been held up in Star City" Ra's started "I am sending you to find her. The plane leaves at dawn. You are to go alone so you don't draw too attention to the extraction"

Nyssa nodded and rose from the ground. She looked at her father, then turned to walk out the door. Dread was eating her up inside. Sara was usually really quick with recon and after being gone for almost two weeks, her disappearance was started to worry Nyssa. Yeah, her beloved could handle herself, but she went after Malcolm Merlyn, a sworn enemy to the league

-(=+=)-

Nyssa walked off the steps of the league plane and onto the old air strip of Star City. A nineteen hour flight and jumping twelve and a half hours backwards certainly was a trip, but it didn't stop Nyssa from continuing on with finding her beloved. The three o'clock evening hair had a nice, fall crisp to it, but it didn't comfort Nyssa in the slightest.

The first people who would know about Sara's disappearance would be Oliver and his team. Nyssa swung her bag of armor over her shoulder and started walking towards Verdant, hoping that there would be some answers waiting for her there…

-(=+=)-

Nyssa arrived at the secret entrance of Verdant and set her bag down. Instead of going inside with all her armor and weapons ready, Nyssa removed her bow and took out a single arrow. She took the bow in her left hand along with the arrow and quietly snuck inside the 'top secret lair'. When Nyssa entered, she could hear two familiar voices

"Does Thea seem any…different to you?" Oliver asked

"Her hair's a lot shorter" Roy smirked "But that's not what you mean. W-what do you mean?"

"I don't know" Oliver started "Did she say anything? She maybe seeing someone in Corto Maltese or…"

"If Thea was with anybody else I get the feeling I would be the last one to know"

Nyssa emerged from her hiding spot, nocked the arrow she was holding and aimed it straight at Oliver's chest. Oliver and Roy both jumped up from the tables they were leaning on and quickly walked closer to her.

"Where is she?" Nyssa asked coldly "Where is Sara? She came here for the league two weeks ago. We have not heard from her since"

"There's something I have to tell you…." Oliver said with a bit of sadness

Nyssa knew that expression from anywhere. She had seen it so many times on other people and experienced it herself a few times, but nothing had prepared her for what Oliver had just said without even realizing it. Nyssa's hands started to shake slightly and she looked over at Oliver, her expression not changing but Oliver could tell that a weight had just fallen on her entire world

"Sara's dead…."

Oliver gave a small nod and Nyssa slowly brought her bow down from where it was aimed. The fact that he just confirmed it seemed to drop another weight and despite all the hardships she had experienced, nothing could stop the overwhelming sadness that was coming over the assassin.

"I'm so sorry…." Oliver whispered as he walked towards her

"Tw's an arrow, wasn't it?"

"How do you know that?" Oliver asked

"Where's her body?"

"Nyssa…"

"Where?!"

"We buried her in a grave from seven years ago"

Nyssa couldn't take it anymore. She brought her bow down completely and quickly walked out the door where she had entered.

"Nyssa! Wait!" Oliver called after her, but she didn't stop. "I want you to follow her. I don't want there to be a body dropped with a black and red arrow through their chest"

"Got it" Roy said as she grabbed his sweater and walked out of the door after Nyssa.

When Roy entered the alley, there was no sign of Nyssa. He looked around for a moment and found a faint trail that led in the direction of the cemetery. There was a trail and it was better than nothing, so Roy followed it in hopes of finding the assassin there.

-(=+=)-

 _This is my fault. I shouldn't have let her volunteer to chase Merlyn down and now she's dead because of me…._ Nyssa thought as she approached the gravestone

There was someone else at Sara's gave too; Laurel. She was looking longily into the smoothed stone and a looks of guilt, confusion, and overwhelming sadness plagued the older sister's face.

Laurel's daze was cut short when she felt the presence of someone else who was behind her. She turned around slightly and saw here; the assassin who had taken care of Sara for the last four years.

"Nyssa…." Laurel said quietly to the assassin, whose eyes were coated in tears but she refused to let them fall

Nyssa walked past Laurel and knelt down at the foot of the grave. She looked at the stone, almost in a daze as she muttered an Arabic burial prayer (Sorry, don't know what it was and I don't have a way of finding out!).

Laurel watched as Nyssa got back up from the grave. She slowly turned around to face Laurel and spoke.

"You have my condolences" Nyssa started "And that of my father, Ra's al Ghul"

"I don't want your condolences and I certainly don't want your father's" Laurel said in a quiet, but pissed off tone. "She died with arrows in her chest. Do you think that would have happened if she hadn't met you?!"

Nyssa, who had started walking away from the grave and Laurel stopped in her tracks. She slowly turned her head back to face the sister, sensing the sadness driven by anger and regret.

"You were the one that showed her the darkness inside. You and your father" Laurel continued

"I know you grieve, but so do I" Nyssa started "I didn't show Sara the darkness, Laurel. It was already inside of her when we met. When I found her, alone, starving and terrified, I protected her. I took Sara into my heart and loved her with all my soul. And that jacket….I gave it to Sara as a gift….you are not fit to wear it…."

Nyssa turned around and started walking out of the cemetery. She understood what Laurel was experiencing and she was fine with taking the blame for it all, but why couldn't Laurel understand that she loved Sara just as much as she did?

A sorrow-filled walk passed by in minutes as Nyssa walked inside the old safe house that Sara had occupied when she was in Star City. Nyssa had only been inside a few times, but she knew enough to feel Sara's inviting presence lingering in the room. It was terrifying. Nyssa had never felt the amount of sadness she was feeling at that very moment. Even running her fingers over a ledge brought back some of the happiest memories of her and her beloved, but all of that was gone now.

The tears that had been clouding her vision since Oliver had told her finally slipped down her cheeks. Nyssa thought that she could just be left alone to grieve her loss but she was sadly mistaken. With five years in stealth training, Oliver's footsteps were too recognizable. Nyssa continued to 'ignore' Oliver but when he was within distance, Nyssa grabbed her sword and quickly spun around, putting it to Oliver's neck.

"Are you ready to talk?" Oliver asked calmly

"We have nothing to discuss" Nyssa said as she dropped her blade from Oliver's neck

"The trail for Sara's killer has gone cold…and I could use your help-"

"Whereas I don't need yours..!"

"Really? We've gathered evidence, we're working leads. You're visiting cemeteries and hiding in league safe houses"

"I am not hiding…and this is not my safe house. It was Sara's while she was in Starling"

Oliver looked at Nyssa, then turned around and walked to a dark green duffle bag. He pulled out a camera and looked at the pictures; pictures of a man crossing a side walk in the city while talking on the phone. He shut the camera off and reached deeper in the bag. Oliver pulled out a single can of microwavable noodles.

"These were her favorites…." Oliver said as he set the can down, receiving a small and almost unnoticeable smile from Nyssa. "Okay, you said Sara was in Starling for the league. That suggests that her target is also her killer"

"Agreed, expect it wasn't her target. Sara came to Starling to confirm rumors, whispers really that an enemy of the league was here"

"Who?"

"Malcolm Merlyn….he's alive"

"What do you mean Malcolm is alive?" Oliver started "Wait, the whole team should be here to hear this so we can all start hunting Sara's killer. Are you still in"

"I will not rest until Sara's murder is avenged"

"Understandable….let's go"

-(=+=)-

 **A/N: Yeah, you guys all know what happens from there. They find Merlyn at the monastery, he gets away, Nyssa gets a good hit on Oliver and now we're moving on into later season 3**

-(=+=)- -(=+=)-

 ** _Nanda Parbat-May 2015_**

The night before the wedding and a bride should be excited, but Nyssa was being held as a hostage in order to marry Oliver, but he was gone and all that remained was Al Sah-Him the 'heir to the demon'. Nyssa's room had always been a bit different from the normal rooms in the fortress, like hers had a balcony and one rather high up at that.

 _What do I have to loose?_ Nyssa thought as she walked out on the balcony and looked down at the ground several hundreds of feet below her. _It's either escape, die, or live my life here in hell_

Nyssa was only wearing a light tunic so normally, the cold would have bothered her slightly but tonight, everything was different. The cold air actually felt inviting as if it wanted her to jump down to get a better feel for it. Nyssa jumped up on the stone railing on the balcony and swung her legs over. The cold, midnight hair blew through her hair and made the whole scenes seem surreal.

Nyssa's peace was interrupted by deep voices outside of her locked door. She heard the door unlock and quickly swung her legs back over the railing and stood there, so it just looked like she wasn't going to try anything.

Oliver walked into his future wife's bedroom and saw the woman leaning over the railing of the balcony. The combination of the night stars, the cold breeze blowing her hair back slightly, and the way she stood looking out at the world outside made her look like a goddess in his opinion

"What are you doing here?" Nyssa asked in a pissed off tone "Shouldn't you be off at my father's right hand?"

"Nyssa…."

"I should kill you where you stand, but then again, my death would be preferred for everyone's convenience…."

"Nyssa, I need to talk with you" Oliver said as he approached the balcony

"Really? About what you're going to do once we're married or are you here to make it known that you are the heir?"

"I need your help"

"Like hell you do" Nyssa said as she whipped around and walked back into the bedroom "I'm being tested by my father to see if my loyalties still lie with him"

"That's not why I'm here"

"Well just spit it out so we can all move on with our lives!"

"I need you help me sabotage the plane that your father and I are taking to Starling tomorrow"

"W-what…" Nyssa stammered, clearly confused by Oliver's words

"I am not Al Sah-Him. I am Oliver Queen and I will not let your father destroy my city. Do ensure that, I need to kill him"

"And you're planning on tampering with the jet in order to achieve that"

"It's the only way to ensure that the virus will be destroyed in the process" Oliver started "Please Nyssa, help me save my city"

"And if I don't?"

"Then you are condemning both of us to a future neither of us wants to live in"

"Alright….what do you want me to do?" Nyssa asked after a moment of silence

"What do you know about the plane and where it's kept?"

"There is a hidden air strip behind the fortress and a large cave where the jet and a couple others are kept. If you want to tamper with it, your best bet would be to do it at dawn, when the guards change shifts. The one that will be used tomorrow will be clear, as it will be set aside and several assassins will be working on preparing the engines and other technical checks"

"Thank you…" Oliver said as he looked down at the dark haired assassin before him "There's something else I need you to do"

"And what is that?"

"I need you to pretend to hate me with all your might until we get out of here. Do whatever you need to do to convince everyone"

"How about I try to kill you at the altar?" Nyssa asked with a smirk

"How are you planning on pulling that off?" Oliver chuckled

"I have my ways, but I will figure something out. If worse comes to worse, I'll just carve a piece of wood into a small spear or something"

"Very well, but please don't actually kill me" Oliver chuckled

Nyssa was about to reply when there was a knock on the door

"Ra's al Ghul wants you both at dinner with him" An assassin said as he leaned his head into the room

"Tell him we will be there shortly" Oliver replied in his 'Al Sah-Him' voice

The assassin nodded and closed the large door. Oliver turned back to Nyssa, who had a large smirk growing across her face

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Oliver asked

"Where there's meat, there's knives" Nyssa smirked "You know what to look for at the altar"

"Good luck, and for both our sakes, I hope you're a good actor" Oliver said as he started walking towards the door

"Are you kidding? I played a very convincing damsel in distress back in Russia a few years ago" Nyssa laughed "I'll be fine"

"Thank you Nyssa"

"Just don't do anything stupid"

-(=+=)-

"You survive this, and I will come for you again and again until your end of days! But first, your city will perish!" Ra's shouted right before jumping off the falling plane with the virus

"It's our only parachute!" Oliver shouted over the whipping winds as he walked back to the cockpit.

Nyssa followed Oliver back to the cockpit, but on their way, they had to take out the a pilot. Oliver took the pilot out as soon as he exited the cockpit without a problem. The two 'newlyweds' entered the cockpit and each took a seat; Oliver the pilot and Nyssa the co.

"Stay strapped in and do exactly as I say!" Oliver called "Alright, we lost hydraulic. There should be a red lever by your right leg"

"Yes!"

"Alright, when I say go, you're going to pull it up, turn it clockwise, and push it back down. Do you understand?"

"Yes!"

"Three, two, one, now!"

Nyssa pulled up the lever and did exactly as Oliver instructed. As soon as it was pushed back down, some small alarm started to go off as the plane did a slight curve, then started descending rapidly. Nyssa looked back and forth at Oliver and the ground that was quickly getting closer.

"I'm sorry, but this is going to hurt" Oliver called

Right as he finished his sentence, the plane crashed violently into the ground and knocked both Nyssa and Oliver's heads back with a jerk. The plane was turned on its side slightly when it finally came to a stop.

Oliver could only see blurs as everything spun around him. Gravity almost seemed nonexistent for a few moments. When he finally got his senses back a minute later, he glanced over at Nyssa, who was lying limp in the seat

"Nyssa!" Oliver called as he leaned over

He placed a finger on her neck and could still feel a strong pulse, which meant that her head just snapped back a bit too quickly when the plane collided with the ground.

Oliver could hear the sounds of sirens in the distance, which meant that he had to get off the plane and fast. He undid his own buckle and stood up from the chair. His legs felt like rubber for a moment, but the feeling returned after a moment. Oliver stepped out of the cockpit and picked up his own sword and Nyssa's before returning to the cockpit. Oliver used Nyssa's sword to cut away at the seatbelt that was holding her in the chair. He gently picked Nyssa up in his arms and walked off the plane and into the forest right as several cop cars and fire engines pulled up beside the plane

"Oliver…." A voice said from in his arms "What the hell are you doing…?"

"Glad to see you're awake" Oliver smiled down at Nyssa, who was still in his arms "Rough landing"

"You don't say" Nyssa chuckled

"Are you alright to walk?"

"Quite fine" Nyssa said as Oliver set her down on the ground "Thank you"

"No need to thank me. Right now, we need to get to Palmer Tech where Malcolm Merlyn and the rest of the team are waiting. We'll get their help with stopping Ra's"

"Good, let's get going"

"First" Oliver started as he pulled Nyssa's sword off his belt "I didn't think you'd want to go into battle without it"

"It's like you're actually my husband" Nyssa teased as she took the sword "Thanks"

"Like I said, no need to thank me. We all need to work together in order to succeed"

"That couldn't be more true, husband" Nyssa chuckled

"Would you stop calling me 'husband'? You know I'm with Felicity" Oliver chuckled in replied

"Oh I know, I just don't care" Nyssa laughed "That nickname will stick and I will make sure of it"

"Suit yourself, but you're going to answer all the questions anyone ever asks regarding that nickname"

"Fair enough, now let's get going before the responders search the forest for survivors"

"Right, let's go"

-(=+=)-

They had won the fight. Ra's had been taken down and the virus inoculant had been spread and working. The disease was no longer spreading through the city but people were still being urged to return to their homes.

Oliver felt as if the weight of the world had finally been lifted off his shoulders. Dig and the rest of the team were going to carry on with the mission of protecting the city while Oliver could finally settle down with the woman he loved (Or so he thought!).

He had just spoken with Dig and was riding down an elevator to one of the work room floors. When the elevator door opened, Oliver walked out and into a workroom to grab something for Felicity when he saw a familiar assassin in the same room, staring out the large window

"Nyssa? I hadn't even noticed that you left" Oliver chuckled as he walked over to Nyssa's side "When did you leave and what are you doing?"

"I left when you started getting all romantic with Felicity…not my thing, you know?" Nyssa said as she stared blankly out the window

"What are you going to do now that Ra's has been taken out?"

"Ra's is never 'taken out'. His second successor is probably already in Nanda Parbat waiting for the missing assassin's arrival so he can declare his power"

Oliver knew that none of that was true. The league didn't have a leader, yet anyway, because he had promised to deliver the demon's head to Malcolm after the fight, but now he was regretting it.

"So what are you going to do in Nanda Parbat?"

"I'm going to reclaim my title as heir to the demon. Controlling the league has always been the path set for me and I'm not about to let that slip away"

"Fair enough" Oliver started "Here"

Oliver walked over to a work table and wrote down a number, then handed the paper to Nyssa.

"In case you need help with anything, just call and I'll be there to help" Oliver started "It's the least I can do after everything you've done for me"

"Thank you, but this doesn't do you any good if you don't have mine" Nyssa said as she walked over to the table and wrote down her own number "I'm always looking for a good fight so don't hesitate to call if you need something….or just want to talk"

"I never took you as a talking person"

"Even the darkest of people still want to talk with others" Nyssa started "Besides, you have Felicity and I doubt you'll be calling to actually talk. I'll be on the field so don't worry about me"

"It was great seeing you again, Nyssa" Oliver smiled "I really hope this isn't goodbye forever"

"Knowing you and what your team gets into, it probably isn't" Nyssa teased as she started walking towards the door, but then stopped "By the way, if you ever want to get anywhere with that team, you really need to stop trying to make sentimental moments out of every chance you get"

"Why are you, of all people, trying to tell me how to run my team?" Oliver laughed

"Because it physically pained me to see you trying to make a production out of handing Roy a mask and telling him to get his ass out on the field and fight" Nyssa laughed

"Yeah, that wasn't really the best time"

"I'll see you around Oliver"

"Goodbye Nyssa. Take care"

-(=+=)- -(=+=)-

 **I am not changing anything with the league civil war because I felt it was perfect, but I did want to add this in….**

-(=+=)- -(=+=)-

 ** _Star City-February 2016_**

The war was over and the league was no more. Nyssa and all the assassins that had served under Ra's al Ghul were finally free and Nyssa could not be happier. Sure, she was a bit lost, not knowing what to do with her life anymore, but she knew that she wanted to help people in some way, like maybe start a new league like her father and her had been discussing over the past few months after they took Sterling and Zalam in, who were both back in Nanda Parbat, probably sparring with one another.

Nyssa was walking down the streets of the newly named Star City, trying to get an idea of where she wanted to go from there when she saw someone familiar across the street, walking towards the old campaign office where the new 'Arrow cave/Top secret lair' was. Nyssa squinted her eyes a bit and saw none other than her league husband. Nyssa let a small smile escape her lips as she crossed the street and started walking over to him.

"It's almost three in the morning. What are you doing coming here when your future fiancé is back at home?" Nyssa asked as she approached

Oliver turned around and saw Nyssa approaching him, dressed in some jeans, a jacket and some very comfortable looking boots.

"Just wanted to clear my head a bit. What about you? What are you doing out this late…or early in your case?" Oliver asked

"I was hoping to get out and think. I tend to do better at night and alone" Nyssa replied "I never got the chance to really thank you for what you did for me, with the league and all, so thank you…for allowing me to free all those people and broken souls"

"You're welcome. It was nice seeing you in all, but next time you come visit Star City, let's have it be under better circumstances and without a war on our hands" Oliver chuckled

"I agree, next time I come it will be for a good reason, like seeing Laurel again" Nyssa smiled

"You two seem to have gotten close over the last year or so. How's that going?"

"Quite well. I'm truly one of the luckiest people in the world to have Laurel as a friend…a very close one at that. She brings a light into my life that I thought I could have never found"

"I'm glad to hear that you're happy" Oliver started "So what are you going to do now that the league is gone?"

"Not entirely sure, but I think I'm just going to explore the world and help where it's needed. Whether it's in the form of becoming a vigilante or a member of a security detail in a foreign country" Nyssa laughed "But I've always wanted to visit Norway. I've heard the fjords are beautiful this time of year"

"Well I hope you find somewhere where you're happy" Oliver smiled "We still have each other's number so like I said last year, if you need something, don't hesitate to call"

"I definitely won't….after all, I like being around you…" Nyssa started "This may sound a bit strange….but there's something about you that I just really like but I have no idea what it is"

"I think I know what you're talking about" Oliver chuckled "It's called friendship"

"It doesn't feel like what I have with Laurel at all" Nyssa replied

"Maybe it's something like PTSD in a way. We find a comfort in each other because we've been through incredibly similar experiences in our lives"

"That makes sense" Nyssa smiled

She was about to say something else when Oliver's phone started to ring. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID. Nyssa could have sworn she saw a frown appear on Oliver's face when he saw who was calling

"I should probably get going. Felicity's at home and freaking out that I'm not at home with her" Oliver said as he declined the call and put it back into his pocket

"That's unfortunate" Nyssa said as she glanced down "I should probably be leaving as well. I've already reserved a plane to take me back to Nanda Parbat"

"What's in Nanda Parbat? Isn't that place going to be abandoned?"

"Yes, but it's a nice place for me to think and figure out where I want to go next. I'll just stay there until I have figured out what I want to do"

"That sounds nice. Maybe I'll pop in at some time and visit" Oliver smirked

"You wouldn't want to do that because chances of me still being there next week are almost zero. Just call and I can come here" Nyssa smiled

"I'll be sure to do that" Oliver smiled as he opened his arms "Is a goodbye hug too much to ask?"

"Not at all" Nyssa laughed as she wrapped her arms around Oliver

"I really hope this isn't goodbye" Oliver smiled, still holding on to Nyssa

"Don't worry, I'm sure we will see each other again, one way or another" Nyssa smiled as she pulled away "Good luck with Star City, Husband"

"Wooow, you're still using that nickname" Oliver chuckled

"I told you back at the plane crash, I would make sure that the name would never die out" Nyssa smirked "You didn't forget, did you?"

"Of course not" Oliver laughed "I'll see you later then"

"Right, take care Oliver"

"Goodbye Nyssa"

-(=+=)- -(=+=)-

 ** _Paris, France-April 2016_**

Nyssa ran across a rooftop and eventually came to the edge where she could see the man jump down and landed into an ally. Nyssa didn't hesitate to do a front flip off the roof to catch the man. She flew through the air and landed perfectly behind the man. He spun around and looked into Nyssa's dark eyes with fear spreading across his face.

Nyssa drew two arrows from her quiver and shot them at the man. The arrows flew straight through his jacket and pinned him to the wall by the shoulders so he could move his arms or run.

"Please! I'll give you whatever you want just don't kill me please!" The man pleaded as Nyssa walked closer

"Oh I won't kill you. That would be too good for you" Nyssa said in a cold tone, although she was smiling underneath her dark veil.

Before the man could reply, Nyssa took her sword out of its sheath and made two cuts on his shoulders. They weren't deep, but Nyssa did it over the muscles so it would be a pain he wouldn't forget

"Don't you dare try to rob an innocent mother and her child again" Nyssa said coldly as she brought her blade to the man's neck "You sick bastard…"

Nyssa didn't give the man a chance to say anything before she knocked him unconscious. She took the arrows out of the wall and put them back in her quiver, making the man fall on the ground with a painful sounding thud. Nyssa picked up the man's body and dragged him to the police station, which was only a few blocks away from where she was.

There was an ally way where Nyssa had been dumping criminal for the police to pick up for the last two months. She took a pair of handcuffs that were hanging on a staircase railing and cuffed the man to the stairs. Nyssa took out a small, white notecard and a black inked pen.

 _Pris en train de voler une femme innocente et un enfant._ _Ils sont en sécurité et l'argent a été retourné. (Caught robbing an innocent woman and child. They are safe and the money has been returned)_

 _-Scarlet_

After writing the man's crime and detail on the slip of paper in French, Nyssa took a small ribbon and tied it to the man's boot where the officers always looked first for the note.

In the last two months, Nyssa had started to settle down in Paris as the Scarlet Vigilante. Unlike Oliver, Nyssa never killed anyone on the field to fulfill the promise she made to Laurel. The police had actually appreciated Nyssa's help and asked her several times to reveal herself to the city, but Nyssa said that it was better that she not.

When she wasn't out on the field as Scarlet, Nyssa was working as a waitress at a small family own restaurant. She actually lived right next to the owner and when she mentioned she was looking for a job when she first moved in, the woman and her husband happily offered Nyssa a job, which she happily accepted. In addition to serving the people in the restaurant, Nyssa also helped with security in case there was someone there that was looking for trouble.

Overall, Nyssa was enjoying her life in Paris. She was doing what she loved at night but was finally becoming a normal person during the day. Nyssa had also accidentally became involved with volunteering at a local school when help was needed and it was there that Nyssa discovered her love of children.

Nyssa had been running across rooftops towards her top floor apartment in the city. When she stepped inside, Nyssa removed her hood and veil and walked over to the small kitchen. Inside a small cabinet, she had a whiteboard hiding inside where she had been keeping a tally of all the criminals she had stopped since arriving in Paris. So far, the count was up to one hundred thirteen.

As soon as she marked the tally, Nyssa's phone started to ring. She assumed it was Laurette, the woman who owned the restaurant, but she was surprised to see the caller ID.

"Oliver…." Nyssa muttered as she picked her phone up off the counter. "I didn't expect you to call. What is it where you are, six in the evening?" Nyssa asked when she picked up the phone "Shouldn't you be with your family or team?"

"You sound happier than normal? Everything alright?" Oliver asked when Nyssa picked up

"It's strange to say but everything is perfect right now!" Nyssa laughed

"Where are you exactly?"

"What? Felicity's not pinging my phone or something?"

"She doesn't know I'm calling"

"Oh" Nyssa started "I'm in Paris"

"Hmm, are you also the Scarlet Vigilante that made international headlines last week for stopping a massive drug problem that was spreading across Western Europe?"

"You got me pinned. That was me" Nyssa laughed slightly "So did you call to confirm a rumor or are you calling as a friend?"

"I'm actually calling to ask if you can come to Star City"

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"Something happened…and I think you should be here…"

"Oliver? What's going on…?"

"It has to do with someone named Damien Dahrk"

"Ugh…I know that name too well…"

"Right, he was once an enemy to the league" Oliver started "We might need your help"

"Okay, I'll be on the first plane out" Nyssa started "And Oliver"

"Yeah Nyssa?"

"It's nice hearing you after all these months"

"As it is with you"

"I'll see you soon"

"Bye Nyssa"

Nyssa hung up the phone and set it back on the counter. She walked into her bedroom and pulled out a duffle bag along with a small suitcase. Nyssa packed a few extra sets of clothing, then took off her armor and put it in the duffle bag. After changing into another set of clothes, Nyssa grabbed her phone and made a quick call to a friend who happened to be a pilot who owed her a favor. Once the call was made, Nyssa grabbed her bags and walked out of her apartment and towards an old air strip where she was going to get a ride to Star City.

-(=+=)-

"Husband? Are you in here?" Nyssa called as she walked into bunker underneath the campaign office

"Glad to see you made it, and so quickly too" Oliver said as he walked out from a hallway that split off from the main room

"I'm kind of surprised to see you down here. It's only eleven o'clock in the morning. Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"No, I was actually waiting for you"

"Are we going to go kick Damien's ass? If so, where's the rest of the team?"

"Nyssa, there's something I need to tell you" Oliver said as he gestured to a seat at the table

Nyssa set her bags down in the corner of the room and sat in the chair that Oliver was motioning to. After she was seated, Oliver sat down next to her and looked her straight into the eye

"It's about Laurel…."

"I hope this is some type of sick joke…I know that look…." Nyssa said as soon as she realized what Oliver was trying to say "It's the same look you had when you said….Sara was dead….Laurel…s-she's…."

"I'm so sorry…" Oliver said softly as he reached out towards Nyssa's hand and took it into his own

"This is some type of sick joke….right?!" Nyssa cried out on the verge of tears "I already went through loosing Sara….I won't go through this again!"

"I wish it were some sick…joke…but Damien…h-he killed her…to get back at Quentin"

"You didn't need help with Damien….you called because you wanted me at her funeral…."

"You have always been so smart like that….I'm sorry I lied to you, but telling you over the phone was no way to do it"

"I understand….thank you" Nyssa said as a tear rolled down her cheek

Seeing Nyssa so upset actually made Oliver shed a tear as well. This isn't how friends should reunite; under the death of another.

"I-I've got to go…." Nyssa said as she turned away and started walking towards the exit, but was stopped when Oliver grabbed her arm.

Before Nyssa could resist, Oliver pulled her into his arms and held on to her in a warm hug.

"Don't try to go after Damien…not today" Oliver started as he rested his chin on the top of Nyssa's chin "Laurel wouldn't have wanted that…"

"You're right" Nyssa said, her voice slightly muffled by Oliver's shirt "When should I be there?"

"It starts in three hours"

"I'll be there" Nyssa said as she pulled away from Oliver's embrace

Nyssa walked back over to the corner and grabbed her two bags. Once she had those, Nyssa walked out of the bunker and towards an old league safe house where she could be alone. She liked being around Oliver…a lot…but right now she wanted to be alone

-(=+=)-

The funeral service had ended about an hour ago but Nyssa had stayed. Instead of going back to the safe house or the bunker, Nyssa had found a large willow tree not far from Laurels' grave and had been sitting down in the grass while leaning up against it.

Nyssa had her head resting up against the tree and was looking up at all the branches and leaves above her when she heard footsteps approaching.

"I didn't think you would be here this late after the service" Oliver said as he sat down on the grass next to Nyssa "Are you doing alright?"

"My best friend is dead…I'd be surprised if anyone was doing 'alright'" Nyssa said, still staring up at the branches

"You know, Laurel said something to me once; that everyone's life was like a leaf on a tree. Sometimes they fall, but the leaf always grows back in its full beauty" Oliver started "I think she was trying to say that although we mourn the loss of others, we should always look forward to the coming of more"

"It does sound like something she would say…" Nyssa smiled "Did she suffer?"

"It was quick and the doctors and everyone there made sure she was comfortable"

"Good…Laurel deserved that much…."

"I would prepare for Quentin coming to you about the Lazarus pit. He'll want to resurrect her after what happened to Sara…."

"I expected as much, but I destroyed the pit months ago…there is no bringing her back" Nyssa said, her voice shaking slightly "I know this may be a lot to ask, but can you stay here with me…just for a bit longer?"

"Of course…." Oliver said with a small smile as he leaned up against the same trunk Nyssa was leaning up against "It is a beautiful day today…even with the clouds"

"Yeah, I suppose it is" Nyssa said as a small smile escaped her lips

-(=+=)- -(=+=)-

 ** _Quetzaltenango, Guatemala-May 2017_**

Nyssa had just returned to the old, run down league safe house where she had been staying for the past few days. There had been reports of a gang problem in Quetzaltenango so Nyssa decided to check it out to see what she could to do help. Apparently, she wasn't the only one. A few members from the American FBI had flown down and Nyssa almost ran into them when she was doing recon that night, which wasn't a pleasant experience.

Nyssa was still taking off her armor when her phone started to vibrate on a table nearby. The assassin slowly walked towards the table and saw Oliver's ID on the screen

"Oliver, I swear to god if you tell me that someone else I loved got killed out on the field, I'm going to go find a gun and shoot myself" Nyssa said as she picked up the phone

"Woah, don't worry. No one's dead…yet" Oliver said

"Correction, I'm going to go find a knife"

"Wait! Please don't kill yourself" Oliver started "I really need your help"

"What's going on in Star City today?"

"A man named Adrian Chase has taken my whole team, my old girlfriend, and her son hostage. I need your help getting them back"

"A change in the normal routine. I'm in" Nyssa said as she walked back over to where she was keeping her armor

"Wait, where are you?"

"Guatemala. I was going to help out with a gang problem, but the American FBI showed up so they'll be fine if I leave. Besides, you're a close friend and I'd rather help you out…it's lonely here"

"Okay, but there's something I need to tell you"

"And what's that, Husband?"

"In order to get everyone back safely, I've asked Merlyn to assist since Adrian also took Thea"

"I'll do whatever it takes to get your loved ones back, but I doubt Merlyn will work with me after I disbanded the league"

"I will make him if it comes down to it, but I can't do this without your help"

"Alright then, I trust you" Nyssa started "I'll be on the next flight out"

"Thank you Nyssa, I'll see you soon"

"Oliver?"

"Yeah?"

"It's good to hear from you again"

"Likewise…I can't wait to see you again"

After Oliver made that comment, the two of them hung up, Nyssa shoved the phone in her pocket, then sat down at a table nearby and started writing down everything she had found out about the gang. Once everything was written down, Nyssa found a folder and sealed it shut.

After that was set, Nyssa put on her armor and grabbed the folder. She didn't have any personal belongings that she needed to take with, so she left behind the few things she had brought.

Nyssa jumped up to the rooftops of the buildings in the main part of the city and made her way towards the Quetzaltenango Police. It wasn't easy getting across the rooftops in the middle of the day in her dark armor, but Nyssa managed to make it out to the ally outside of the police station without being seen.

Nyssa walked up a small staircase which lead to the back door to the station and set the folder down on the ground by the door, but not without writing a note to stick on top.

 _Información sobre el problema de las pandillas_

 _-Scarlet, French Vigilante_

Nyssa signed the note with her French allies and her branded symbol before setting the folder down on the ground. Nyssa pulled out a small, red flare from her pocket and lit it before setting it down by the file and knocking on the door with a loud thud. Nyssa waited for a second before she heard footsteps approaching so she jumped down from the staircase and hid in the shadows

A male officer walked out of the building and looked down at the flare and file. He picked up the file and read the note that Nyssa left, then started reading the information that was left.

"Jefe! ¡ tenemos información del vigilante escarlata sobre el problema de las pandillas! ¡ que alguien llame al FBI al teléfono! (Boss! We got information from the scarlet vigilante on the gang problem! Someone get the FBI on the phone!)" The man called as he ran back into the building after putting out the flare.

After the file had been delivered, Nyssa ran back into the ally ways and towards an air strip that made runs to cities near Star City, like Denver.

When Nyssa got there, she could over hear some of the men who were loading crates into the back discussing the upcoming flight to Fort Collins, where one of their warehouses were.

"Perfect" Nyssa muttered as she pulled up her veil.

Once she had an opening, Nyssa ran towards the plane and jumped into the back with all the crates. She made sure she was hidden, then made herself comfortable for the seven hour flight ahead of her.

Once she got to Star City, Nyssa knew that that was where the real fight was going to begin and to be quite honest, she was looking forward to it. A man who wronged Oliver Queen wasn't going to come back out of the situation alive, especially when they threatened his family and the ones he loves.


	10. A Day In The Reef

For some odd reason, the morning sunlight felt a lot warmer than it did back in Star City. Oliver slowly woke up when he felt the warm light break through the windows of the more modern bungalow he and Nyssa were staying in.

Oliver turned his head towards the other side of the bed and saw Nyssa was still fast asleep next to him. Oliver couldn't help but smile as he flipped on his other side so he could see Nyssa, who was facing the opposite direction. Oliver put his head back down on the pillow and buried his head into the side of Nyssa's neck and tried to fall asleep

"I can feel you breathing on my neck…" Nyssa muttered with her eyes still closed

"Is that a bad thing?" Oliver asked without moving

"It doesn't have to be"

"That's good to hear" Oliver said from the same position "Are you comfortable?"

"Quite"

"Do you know what day it is?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" Nyssa groaned with a small laugh "I think it's Tuesday"

"And do you know what that means?"

"No…and I don't have any intention of find out at the moment…."

"Okay" Oliver said with a small laugh "It means that later tonight, we're going to be heading out to the Australian coast. Are you going to be alright taking us there?"

"I don't know…too tired right now" Nyssa muttered "What time is it?"

"A little past six in the morning"

"No wonder….go back to bed beloved"

Oliver smiled down at his wife as he wrapped his arm around her chest. Before lying still again, Oliver intertwined his legs with hers then buried his head further into her neck. From how he was positioned, he could almost hear Nyssa's heart beating as he tried to fall back asleep and it was soothing for him. Eventually, Oliver fell back asleep to the sound of the waves outside the home

-(=+=)-

"Nys? You out here?" Oliver asked as he stepped out on the sand outside the bungalow

"Over here beloved!" Nyssa called over to him

Oliver walked over to the area where he heard Nyssa's voice and just saw a large friendship oak growing a few yards away from the house.

"Up here beloved!" Nyssa laughed from above him

Oliver looked up into the high branches of the tree and saw Nyssa sitting down on a large, curved branch with her feet dangling down.

"What are you doing up there?" Oliver chuckled as he looked up

"Not sure, just saw this while you were in the shower and decided to climb it. There is a beautiful view of the ocean from up here!" Nyssa called "C'mon up! You'll love it!"

Oliver couldn't help but laugh as he walked over to the trunk of the tree. Since he was the green arrow, and this was a friendship oak, he didn't have a problem climbing up to one of the top branches and sitting down next to his wife.

Once he was seated, he looked over to Nyssa who was pointing out in front of them. Oliver looked out and saw the beautiful, tropical ocean waves crashing down on each other. There was a perfect reflection of the sunlight on the water and not a cloud in the sky to cover it.

"Wow, this is stunning" Oliver smiled as he looked out

"Yeah, I found this last night and I thought it would make the perfect view after a morning walk" Nyssa replied

"You couldn't be more right" Oliver chuckled "By the way, I have a surprise for you"

"Oh really? What could possibly make this trip anymore perfect?"

"When we were wandering the markets the other day, I found this" Oliver said as he pulled out a small jar from the pocket in his shorts "This is genuine Thai red curry. It's supposedly the best in the city so I bought some and thought that tonight once we get to the Australian coast, we could go down on the beach and make curry over a fire"

"That sounds amazing, but can you even cook curry over a campfire?"

"The man at the stand shared a few tricks with me and I think I'll be able to pull it off"

"Alright, I'm in!" Nyssa laughed "I suppose I'm in charge of the fire?"

"You're the best at it" Oliver chuckled as he wrapped his arm around Nyssa's shoulders "This has been the best vacation I've ever been on"

"Don't jinx it now, we still have a week to go!"

"There's no way this could get so bad when you're here with me"

"Aww, that's sweet" Nyssa said right before leaning over and kissing Oliver "By the way, there's bigger tree down the coast if you want to walk down there"

"That sounds nice, let's do it" Oliver smiled as he started sliding towards the trunk of the tree to get down

Nyssa watched him slid down, but she stayed on the branch until he had a good grip around the trunk. Once Nyssa saw he had a safe way down, she slid off the side of the branch and fell down towards the warm sand. Nyssa landed perfectly in the sand, then looked up towards Oliver

"It's completely fine to jump. I'll catch you if you want" Nyssa laughed

"Nah, I don't want to risk hurting you" Oliver chuckled as he jumped down towards the sand, landing next to Nyssa "So show me where this other tree was, because climbing this is actually quite fun"

"I knew you would think so" Nyssa smiled as she started walking away from the tree and towards the warmer, golden sand "I can't think of another word to describe this place except for beautiful, especially with the turquoise waters"

"It's kind of like Anse Lazio, but so much better" Oliver smiled

"Maybe we should bring William here one day"

"I think he would have to develop of love of curries and a lot of other traditional Thai food before he comes. After all, we've been eating curry all week" Oliver laughed

"No regrets!" Nyssa laughed along "You're curry is amazing"

"Thanks Nys"

"Man, it's been so long since I've heard that nickname"

"Well you call me husband every chance you get so I'll stick with calling you Nys"

"Is this to get back at me for that promise I made after the plane crash?"

"Maaaybe?" Oliver smirked

"Like I said, no regrets" Nyssa said, then looked down at her feet "Why do we still both have our sandals on? For crying out loud, this is the beach! The sand and water are both warm!"

Nyssa stopped for a moment and slipped off the sandals she was wearing, then ran back up to Oliver, who had just done the same

"Ahhh, the sand feels so good!" Oliver laughed as he wiggled his toes deeper into the millions of golden specs

"You know, I just had a fantastic idea!" Nyssa started, grabbing her beloved's attention "The tree we're walking to is located on a cliff that hangs right above the ocean and there may be something like a coral reef below. Would you want to take a jump down and see?"

"We're both wearing shorts and a tee shirt. Are you sure?"

"Do you really think I care if I get wet while wearing this?" Nyssa laughed "C'mon, there's no harm in trying"

"Alright, let's do it!"

"You up for running up to the cliff?"

"Sure, I'll beat you there!" Oliver said right before running off

"You don't even know where it is!" Nyssa laughed as she ran after her beloved.

The two of them ran straight towards the cliff that Nyssa was talking about. When they had arrived, both of them were side by side, meaning there was no clear winner

"Draw?" Oliver asked with a laugh while trying to get his breath back

"Draw!" Nyssa questioned "You got a head start"

"But you caught up"

"Dang it….draw" Nyssa replied "Just set your sandals up here while we dive. It's easy to come back up and get them"

Oliver did as Nyssa instructed and put his sandals down by a pile of rocks. While Oliver was emptying his pockets, Nyssa was pulling her hair back in a French braid so it wouldn't get in the way while she swam

"You know, you look great with your hair pulled back like that" Oliver commented

"Aww, thanks beloved, but I'm only doing this for convenience" Nyssa smiled as she tied the braid off. "Alright, have you been cliff diving before?"

"Once when I was fourteen. I did a belly flop and it hurt….bad" Oliver said while cringing at the memories "Are you going to teach me?"

"You know how to do a front flip, right?"

"Yeah, I'm the Green Arrow"

"Fantastic! All you have to do is jump and do a front flip to speed your descent. Be sure to land with you arms extended in a stream like manner so you get go deeper" Nyssa said as she walked to the cliff "Want to do it together?"

"Sure, all do anything with you" Oliver said as he walked over to Nyssa, who was already standing at the edge of the cliff. "You sure we only need to do a front flip? This seems like a two hundred foot drop"

"Don't worry, it's only around a hundred twenty…I think" Nyssa said as she also looked down "You'll be fine"

Nyssa and Oliver both curled their toes over the edge of the jagged cliff and got ready to jump

"On my count" Nyssa said with a smile "Three, two….one!"

Right when Nyssa called one, both she and Oliver pushed themselves off the cliff and fell down towards the water. Oliver did as he was instructed with the front flip to slow the descent, then positioned his arms in stream line. He looked over towards Nyssa and saw that she had done the same thing.

The two of them hit the water in perfect sync and were pushed down towards the bottom. The water was surprisingly warm for the morning, and quite clear as well. Because it was saltwater, Oliver was able to open his eyes and looked around at where he was floating. He glanced down and saw a sandy valley filled with bright pops of color coming from the coral.

Nyssa opened her eyes as well and saw Oliver starting to swim down towards the coral reef. With a small boost, Nyssa shot down towards Oliver and joined him at his side. Oliver glanced over and shot Nyssa a quick smile before turning his head back down the coral

Both of them could easily hold their breath for around three minutes with all the training they have had over the years, so they had plenty of time to see the coral in their first trip.

Oliver and Nyssa both reached the bottom and swam towards a large group of bright pink and orange coral. When they approached it, a school of colorful fish swam out of the coral and in all different directions. Oliver was trying real hard not to laugh when he saw the fish, but he let it slip slightly. Thankfully, he was still able to hold his breath but a small laugh escaped from Nyssa when she saw Oliver trying to hold it back.

Nyssa realized what she just did and held up one finger towards Oliver, then pushed herself up towards the surface of the water. Oliver followed close behind and when they broke the surface, both of them just started laughing

"Beloved, you should have seen the look on your face when those fish shot out!" Nyssa laughed "It was amazing!"

"You have no idea how bad that scared me when one started swimming towards my face! I thought it was a barracuda!" Oliver laughed as he slapped the surface of the water

"Do you want to keep going? It gets a bit deeper further down"

"Sure, let's go find some more fish and this time, I won't get scared" Oliver laughed as he did a quick surface dive back down into the water

Nyssa followed him and they both swam further into the reef. It didn't look like something you would normally see online, but instead, it was even more bright and beautiful, like something out of a dream.

Nyssa and Oliver were still swimming further down into the reef and were going to surface again until Nyssa glanced over to her side and her eyes widened. She gave Oliver a quick slap on the forearm and pointed over towards a cluster of coral.

Oliver had to squint his eyes a bit before he saw what Nyssa was pointing towards; a reef shark. Oliver looked back over to her and she pointed up towards the surface.

"Holy crap that was a silvertip shark! We should go see it!" Nyssa said excitedly when they both broke the surface

"Wait a minute, you want to tame a shark?!" Oliver asked in shock "Are you absolutely sure that's safe?!"

"It's a reef shark, which means that it's no bigger than three meters. Because of their size, they prey on larger fish and eagle rays so you shouldn't worry about death by shark" Nyssa laughed "Besides, if something goes wrong, I know how to escape"

"Are you absolutely sure about this? Have you even been near a shark before?"

"A couple times in the Caribbean when I was younger, but this would be the largest one yet!" Nyssa said excitedly as she prepared to dive back down

"Nyssa, please don't do anything stupid" Oliver said right before diving back down "I don't want you to have a scar like mine"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine and this could be a lot of fun" Nyssa smiled as she dove back down

Nyssa was the first to dive back down, so she had a head start on Oliver. She swam down back towards the cluster of coral and found where the reef shark was. The shark was hiding itself against the cluster and was trying to settle down, which meant it was a perfect opportunity to approach it

Oliver watched from a few feet away as Nyssa swam down to the back of the shark. Nyssa slowly swam down to the shark's tail and lightly placed her pointer finger on the tip. From the back of its tail, Nyssa slowly swam along the right side of the shark with her finger moving up its back, letting the beast know of her presence. The shark seemed resistant at first, but as Nyssa's finger moved along its back, the shark seemed to calm down.

Nyssa soon traced her way all the way to the shark's forehead. She swung her body up over it and ran her finger right down the front of its face until she was floating right in front of it. Once Nyssa had positioned herself in front of the shark, she slowly and gently placed her palm on the shark's snout.

Everything was going well until a school of fish swam right in between Nyssa and the shark. The sudden movement from the fish caused the shark to jump and it smacked Nyssa's hand out of the way. Before the shark could get any angrier, Nyssa jumped up and started swimming away, but the shark was quicker. The beast grabbed the end of her shirt and pulled her back, but Nyssa pushed herself out of its grasp with a quick push off its snout. It wasn't enough to hurt it, because Nyssa still had to calm it down if she and Oliver wanted to get out of the reef without any scratches.

Nyssa kept swimming forward and the shark followed, then Nyssa remembered something her father once mentioned at a dinner when she was only nine years old. One of the men joining them for dinner was a retired scuba diver and he was telling his tales of taming sharks and other beasts of the reefs.

 _If you ever have come across an angered reef shark, start swimming in a slow circle. The shark will follow you and start swimming along your side, which will give you the opportunity to calm it back down with a gentle touch on the snout, and you might be able to stun it if you get it to flip upside down on its back_

Knowing this was her best shot, Nyssa made a slow turn in a circle and started swimming on her side so she could watch the shark beside her. Like the man said, the shark followed her, but was forced to slow down because of the curve they were swimming in.

After swimming in a few full rotations, Nyssa and the shark were face to face with each other. The assassin took that opportunity to tame the shark once more. She reached her hand out and slowly placed her palm on the shark's snout. Nyssa could feel the shark relax at her touch, so she decided to give the stun trick a try.

Nyssa kept her right hand on the shark's snout, then snuck her left underneath it's belly and started giving it a gentle push on its back. She had already earned the shark's trust so it willingly followed her guidance and was soon floating on its back. Nyssa slowly removed both her hands from the shark and watched as the beast peacefully floated on its back.

After about thirty seconds of watching the shark float in the water, Nyssa could feel the last bits of air escape her lungs, meaning she would have to surface quickly. She gently flipped the shark back on it's stomach and gave it a final goodbye. The shark looked at her, then swam back to its place among the coral.

Nyssa looked over to Oliver and saw him swimming over to her. Before he could do something, Nyssa pointed up towards the surface and started swimming up. Oliver followed close behind and soon, they both broke the surface

"That….was….amazing!" Nyssa said excitedly while gasping for air

"You have no idea how bad you scared me when that shark went after you. I thought I was going to have to fight it off with a piece of sharpened coral" Oliver said after catching his breath

"Are you kidding me?!" Nyssa laughed "That's the last thing you'd want to do! The smell of one shark's blood is enough to lure others to its location in hopes of finding their next meal. We would have been toast if that happened"

"Well….glad you had if handled" Oliver laughed "Why don't we head back to the beach?"

"Sounds like a plan" Nyssa said as they both started to swim towards the sandy beach.

-(=+=)-

Nyssa and Oliver had just finished gathering all their things from the bungalow so they could leave for the Australian coast. The sun was just starting to set and the warm colors were dancing across the water in a perfect reflection.

"Nys? You ready to go?" Oliver asked as he zipped up his own bag

"Yeah, are you husband?" Nyssa asked with a smirk

"I suppose so. I've got a small bag with what we can use down on the beach tonight"

"Nice, I'll can just find some wood when we get there" Nyssa said as she threw her bag over her shoulders "Why don't we go outside and I can call Nuriel"

"Sounds like a plan" Oliver smiled as he walked out of the bungalow with Nyssa

"You're lucky you've got such short hair that dries quickly. Mine still smells like saltwater from the dive" Nyssa laughed as they walked out on the sand

"Please don't cut your hair off, it's so pretty like it is now" Oliver chuckled "Besides, I'd trade with you in a heartbeat"

"Sorry beloved, but I'm not that desperate" Nyssa said as she set her bag down on the sand "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, let's get going! We've got a week on the Australian beaches to look forward to!" Oliver said as Nyssa lit a small flame in her hand

Nyssa smiled back at Oliver, then threw her hand out in front of her, letting the flames escape it and travel freely. It slowly started to take the form of a phoenix, who stared back at Nyssa, then started to circle around the couple while slowly growing in size. As the phoenix sped up, the blinding light and warm rush of air passed over the couple until the smell of salt water reached their noses.

Nyssa opened her eyes first and saw that they were safely on the bioluminescent beach. They had jumped an extra hour and a half so it was already dark outside, making the water seem to glow brighter

"Beloved! Look at this!" Nyssa said excitedly as she pointed out towards the water

Oliver glanced in the direction where Nyssa was pointing and saw the dark waters that were glowing a bright blue every time they were disturbed.

"Wow, that's even more amazing in person!" Oliver said in awe "The place we're staying at shouldn't be far from here. Why don't we walk down there, drop out stuff off, and then come back out and make dinner?"

"Sounds good to me. Is the home on the beach like the one in Thailand?"

"Yeah, it's actually a two story built on the sand and there may be a friendship tree growing around in the area so if you wanted to, we could climb it and watch the sunrise tomorrow"

"That would be absolutely beautiful, but we could always just sit on the roof if it's higher up"

"True, but we can figure out the logistics later. Right now, we should be eating curry on the beach!" Oliver laughed as they started walking in the direction of the house they rented out

After around fifteen minutes of walking, the couple came to the house on the beach. It was quite beautiful and well kept, but the fact that it was on the beach was what sold Oliver on renting it. As they walked up the wooden porch, Oliver pulled out a key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock. With a quick turn, the door click and they both walked inside.

The overall feel that the couple got from the house was beachy, but it was updated and there wasn't a lot of clutter on the tables and counters. Oliver and Nyssa both dropped their bags in the master bedroom, then each grabbed the things they would need for the mini cookout

Nyssa was in the master bedroom grabbing one of her knives out of her bag of armor when she heard Oliver in the kitchen. Out of curiosity, she got up from the ground she was sitting on and walked into the kitchen.

"Everything alright beloved?" Nyssa asked as she walked in with her sheathed knife in hand

"I left that pan used for cooking over a campfire back in Thailand which means I'll have to make the food in here, then we go out to the beach" Oliver replied

"It's not a problem at all" Nyssa smiled as she walked around the counter and pulled Oliver's face towards hers and gave him a quick kiss "I'll go get the wood from outside and get the fire going while you start cooking. Does that work?"

"Yeah, but you don't have to do that" Oliver replied

"Nonsense, I'm fine with doing this" Nyssa smiled "Besides, I can't cook and you can so it makes sense for me to go get the wood"

"If you're going to go get the wood, you should probably take a machete or a sword with you. It would be more convenient that using a small knife"

"Alright then, all go get my sword" Nyssa said as she walked out of the room

Nyssa returned a few minutes later with her dark brown sword sheath on her back. She grabbed her phone off the counter and stuffed it in her pocket before turning back to Oliver.

"Just in case, but I'll be back in around ten minutes" Nyssa said as she gave Oliver a quick kiss over the counter

"Alright, don't do anything stupid" Oliver chuckled

"I'll do my best!" Nyssa laughed as she walked out of the glass doors to the back porch

Nyssa jumped off the wooden porch and started walking towards the area of the beach where there was some older trees that were bound to have some old and dry branches for burning.

After wandering around the small forest and gathering wood for around ten minutes, Nyssa had collected a pretty decent pile, but still needed a few larger pieces. She traveled a bit deeper into the forest and started finding small logs lying around. Nyssa started picking them up but wasn't paying attention and tripped over something. She fell to the ground face first, but then quickly looked back towards what she tripped on and saw a large, black rectangular box with a small handle on the top.

Nyssa got up from the ground and reached for the case. She undid the latches on the top and pulled the top off.

"Oh dang…Oliver's going to love this!" Nyssa said to herself excitedly as she closed the case back up and gathered the pieces of wood that she had collected earlier

-(=+=)-

Oliver was in the kitchen finishing up the last few steps to making what Nyssa deemed 'the perfect curry'. He was just about to add the last bit of salt when he heard someone calling him from the porch

"Beloved! You will never believe what I found while getting wood!" Nyssa called

Oliver dropped the salt into the food, turned the stove off, and walked out to the porch where Nyssa was waiting excitedly with her sword still on her back. Once Oliver was in front of her, she stepped aside, revealing a large, black case lying on one of the chairs on the deck.

"What is it?" Oliver asked as he looked back and forth between Nyssa and the case

"Just open it and tell me what you think" Nyssa replied

Oliver undid the latches on the case and pushed the top back. As soon as he could see what was inside, his eyes seemed to widen and his mouth drop to the deck floor.

Inside the case was a dark stained acoustic guitar that was in fairly new condition. There was a note held in between the strings which Oliver removed and opened.

 _To whoever finds this guitar: I lost an interest in playing and didn't want to sell this. Someone who truly wants it to play will find it and should keep it for creating memories with someone you love, like I did once_

"Wow, I guess we just got a free guitar" Oliver laughed "I actually played the guitar until high school. Do you mind if I play it?"

"It's both of ours according to the note so I don't mind at all" Nyssa smiled "I'm going to go start the fire"

Nyssa grabbed a few logs that she had brought back, jumped off the porch, and walked down towards the glowing water and warm sand.

While Nyssa was setting up the fire, Oliver went back inside the house and poured the curry he made into a large bowl, which he brought outside towards on the beach with two smaller bowls and the guitar case. Nyssa was piling the food on top of each other when Oliver sat down in the sand next to her.

"Alright, let's get this party started!" Oliver smiled as he started dishing up the curry

"Couldn't agree more!" Nyssa replied as she lit a small flame in her hand and let the wood catch fire

"I need you to try this first, just to make sure it's good" Oliver said as he took out a small spoonful and handed it to Nyssa

"I'm never going back to America! Not when we can move to Thailand and have curry like this every night!" Nyssa said once she swallowed the bite "Good call on buying that curry at the market"

"So it's good?" Oliver chuckled

"Read my expression again and tell me if you see happiness" Nyssa said with a smile

"Alright, it passes the test!"

Oliver dished up two bowls and handed one to his wife, who had scooted closer to him when he offered it. The two of them sat by the fire and just talked while eating. It was so simple yet so memorable, but it wasn't the best part of the night.

"You know, I wasn't actually too bad at playing guitar in highschool. I want to see if that 'talent' is still there" Oliver chuckled as he reached over and grabbed the guitar out of the case

Oliver set his bowl down at his side, the set the guitar in his lap after getting in a criss cross position. He started to strum a few of the strings until he could set them all in the right tune. He started playing a few scales until he got the hang off the instrument again

"Any song requests?" Oliver asked

"Anything you want. I just want to hear you play" Nyssa smiled as she set down her bowl as well

Oliver looked back down at the guitar and started to play the basic tune to 'Hotel California' (Guitar cover by: Acoustican) which he had learned back in seventh grade with Tommy, who was also in his guitar class. The accompaniment was a bit shaky, but Oliver could play the rest of the song without hesitation. He soon brought the song to an end and got a small applause from his wife

"That was really nice. How long has it been since you last played?" Nyssa asked

"Almost eleven years. Guess I never forgot it" Oliver chuckled

"Can I give it a go?"

"You know how to play?"

"I don't have any professional lessons or skills, but I think I could pull something off"

"Be my guest" Oliver said as he passed Nyssa the guitar

After going through a similar process as Oliver, Nyssa had become comfortable with the strings and started playing something she heard Lenora practicing before the wedding when she was with them down in the bunker. Nyssa started playing 'All Falls Down' (Guitar cover by: F-Guitar Music) and before she knew it, she was silently singing the lyrics under her breath, but Oliver could still hear it and he recognized the song from Thea's playlist for when she was restocking the shelves at Verdant.

"You're the drug that I'm addicted to, and I want you so bad. Guess I'm stuck with you, and that's that…" Nyssa muttered as she kept playing the song

"'Cause when it all falls down, then whatever! When it don't work out for the better! If we just ain't right, and it's time to say goodbye. When it all falls down, when it all falls down…." Both Nyssa and Oliver sand in sync

Eventually, in song was suppose to break into a male and female solo portion, so when Oliver's part came up, he sang it happily while Nyssa smiled and played for him.

"….But I'll be fine, and that's that!" The two of them finished in sync, then looked at each other and laughed

"That was actually a lot of fun! We should to that more often" Nyssa said

"I know, and you have such a beautiful voice! Why don't you sing more often?" Oliver asked

"Stage fright I guess. You're the only one who's actually heard it" Nyssa replied while trying to hide the blush that was spread across her face

"What about Christmas when all of us gathered around the piano and sang?"

"I learned to become very convincing at lip syncing apparently"

"I suppose so" Oliver chuckled "Where did you learn to play?"

"I've been watching Lenora for awhile and like shooting a gun back with the security detail, it was just a matter of watching, then doing it correct the first time"

"Makes sense" Oliver said with a slight shrug of his shoulders

Before either of them could continue, Oliver's phone started vibrating in his pocket. He puled it out and saw that William was calling

"William's calling and wants to video chat" Oliver said "Should we show him around?"

"I think he would enjoy that" Nyssa said as she rested her arms on the guitar, which was still in her lap

Oliver clicked the 'accept' button on the call and waited a minute for it to connect. Once it did, William's face appeared on the screen as he walked into a different room where there wasn't much chaos

"Hey dad! Dig said that I should call to check in since it's already been a week" William said when he picked up "How's the trip going?"

"It's going good! We just got to Australia a couple hours ago and we're actually out on the beach right now" Oliver replied "How have you been doing?"

"Really well! My friends and I went on another walk about in the LD forest and found some old junk, but it felt like we were treasure hunting!" William said excitedly as he reached over to the side and showed his dad something rusty "I have no idea what this is, but it looks really old and cool so I got to keep it"

"That's really cool William! Maybe you should go there with a metal detector and look for some more things" Oliver started "Mom and I did some treasure hunting of our own as well"

"Really?! Show me what you found!"

Oliver brought the phone down from his face and flipped the screen, the pointed it over towards Nyssa, who was still resting her arms on top of the guitar and was listening to the call.

"Mom found an almost brand new guitar in the small forest just outside of the house we're staying in. It actually works really well!"

"Woooow! That's really nice looking!" William said as he admired the instrument that was being shown on his screen "What else have you guys done?"

"Do you want to tell him?" Oliver asked Nyssa, who just smiled at him

"We went cliff diving and swam with a reef shark" Nyssa said with a smile

"No way! You guys swam with a shark?! Was it huge like the ones in 'Jaws'?" William asked in awe

"Nah, this one was only around nine feet long, which made it good for beginners to work with. It was a bit hard, but we were able to get it" Nyssa explained

"Can we all go to Thailand next summer? I want to see all the coral reefs, beaches, sharks, and food there is down there!" William asked excitedly

"It's definitely a possibility, but we'll have to see when we get further into the year" Oliver started "What time is it over in Star City?"

"Around seven thirty in the morning .Lyla's making French toast for breakfast so I should probably get going. After all, it looks like it's midnight where you guys are" William replied

"Yeah, it is almost midnight actually" Oliver chuckled "We'll let you get going so your toast doesn't get cold"

"Okay, love you guys!" William said

"Love you too, William!" Nyssa and Oliver called in sync before hanging up

"William was right. It's getting late so we should probably start heading inside" Oliver said as he got up from the ground and started cleaning up the dishes

"Okay, I'll take care of the fire" Nyssa said as she got up and put the guitar back in the case

Oliver and Nyssa both walked back towards the house to take care of the mess. While Oliver washed the dishes, Nyssa grabbed a small bucket of water and walked back to the fire. After watching the flames die out completely, Nyssa grabbed the guitar case and walked back towards the house.

"So what should we do tomorrow?" Oliver asked as he dried his hands off

"Hmmm, a morning walk up the beach perhaps?" Nyssa suggested as she set down the guitar case

"That actually does sound really nice right now" Oliver smiled "Sure, let's do it, but I can't guarantee that I won't sleep in"

"You're not the only one" Nyssa laughed as they both walked off towards the bedroom

Once they were in the room, the couple got changed out of the clothes they were wearing, which smelled of sand and saltwater, then got into some more comfortable and better smelling clothing. Oliver climbed into bed and started reading a book he had brought while Nyssa got in the shower to try and get all the saltwater smell out of her hair, which she and Oliver had been laughing about the entire day.

"I finally got it all out!" Nyssa laughed as she walked out of the bathroom while pulling her hair into a low but loose bun

"Well that's good to hear" Oliver chuckled as he set his book down "Now we have to get it out of our clothing tomorrow morning"

"Ugh, that's going to be even worse!" Nyssa laughed

"Don't worry, I'm sure it won't be that bad" Oliver smirked

"Well it if anything like what I just had to do to get all of that smell out of my hair, then it's going to suck" Nyssa replied as she started making herself comfortable next to Oliver

Eventually, the two of them ended up cuddled together with Nyssa resting her head on Oliver's chest while he rested his on top of her head. Before long, the couple started to drift to sleep with the sound of crashing waves in the distance.

 _What a wonderful vacation_ Oliver thought as he closed his eyes to end a peaceful night

 **Author's Note: Okay, if you're bored and looking for a good song to listen to, I suggest the 'All falls down' version I wrote down for what Nyssa played at the campfire. I somehow stumbled on that after listening to guitar covers of 'kiss the rain' and I REALLY liked it and thought it would be a good song for the couple to sing together.**


	11. The League's Future

_"_ _You can't stop what's coming" A voice echoed ominously in the distance_

 _Nyssa stood in the middle of a hazy desert and watched as two distinct armies ran towards each other and started fighting. Soldiers started dropping like flies on both sides and some of the soldiers that fell were mothers and their children, who were fighting or trying to get to their loved ones_

 _"_ _Because you started it" The voice said_

 _Her view changed and she saw three people up on a hill fighting a man in dark armor while the moon blocked the sun out, making the sky a dark orange. The two people fighting along the leader's side were quickly struck down when the armored enemy's swords pierced through their hearts._

 _"_ _All so you could feel powerful"_

 _Two flags stood tall on a hill, each tattered and ripped. They flew weakly on a hill and below the poles, thousands of bodies of soldiers and innocent people laid. One flag was black with a golden phoenix league insignia while the other was a dark gray with a black and amber phantom in the middle._

 _"_ _Your soldiers will fall"_

 _Finiks Jurf was shown, abandoned except for one assassin dressed in black and gold armor. They stood up on the cliff overlooking the entire system of caves and bridges. There were fires spread all over and the sky was a dark yellow, stained with the smoke._

 _"_ _They will all leave you"_

 _This time, Nyssa was seeing in the perspective of a person standing in front of two other people. They both turned and started walking away. One was dressed in dark green armor with a quiver on their back along with their hood and mask down, revealing the dirty blonde hair. The other was a lot younger and looked to be in their late teens or early twenties, but they were also dressed in armor which was black with dark blue and silver accents._

 _Nyssa could hear a voice, similar to her own calling out to the two men, but they kept walking away from her until they disappeared completely_

 _"_ _And to think that this all started with curiosity"_

 _This time, Nyssa saw a flash back of her removing the Lazarus stone from the dried up pit in Nanda Parbat, which only happened around a month and a half ago._

 _Her vision changed and she was staring directly at the Lazarus stone, which had cracks all over it with black mist being pushed out._

 _"_ _We're coming" The voice started "And there's nothing you can do to stop it"_

 _The last thing Nyssa saw was a sandy battlefield, where a woman with dark brown hair, black and gold armor with a golden circlet on her head was on her knees in front of a man dressed in dark black and amber armor. He looked down at the woman for a brief second before driving his sword through her heart. He left in in for a few seconds before removing it, letting the woman fall to the ground._

 _The woman collapsed to the side and her arms laid limp at her sides_

 _"_ _William…..Oliver….forgive me….." The woman whispered before closing her eyes for the last time_

Nyssa's eyes shot open and she quickly sat up in bed with sweat on her forehead and hands shaking. The sudden movement next to him caused Oliver to wake up as well. He turned on his other side to face Nyssa and saw her shaking slightly while breathing heavily, but her hair was blocking Oliver's view of her face.

"Nyssa? Are you alright?" Oliver asked as he sat up and looked over at her "Nightmare?"

"The Lazarus stone…" Nyssa muttered, then she froze "Oh god the Lazarus stone!"

Nyssa jumped out from under the covers and ran out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where she had left her phone. She quickly picked it up and dialed Elena's number as fast as she could. A few seconds passed before someone picked up

"Nyssa, this better be good because I'm trying to have a nice dinner with my husband" Elena said, slightly annoyed, when she picked up "You're supposed to be relaxing with Oliver but you can't do that when you're calling me at two in the morning in a beach house!"

"Elena! What did you do with the Lazarus stone after you used the eternal waters on it?!" Nyssa asked frantically

"Uh, I gave it to the science division….why?"

"I need you to find it, now!"

"Any context?"

"Just find the stone first and then I'll tell you!"

"Okay…?" Elena said

Nyssa paced around the living room of the beach house nervously as she waited for Elena to start talking again. Oliver walked into the living room and saw Nyssa holding the phone up to her ear while looking down at her feet and pacing back and forth, which she only did when she was deep in thought or extremely nervous

"Alright, I'm looking at this now completely normal rock. What did you want with it exactly?" Elena asked after a few minutes

"Are there any cracks or signs of cracks?" Nyssa asked with her voice shaking slightly

"Uh, it doesn't look like it" Elena replied "Mind giving me a little fill in so I can help out?"

"I've got the feeling something's going to happen and it will start with a crack on that stone so don't get rid of it and seal it somewhere air tight just in case" Nyssa started

"Alright…? Anything else?"

"I want you to check on it whenever you get the chance and if there's any change, even just the smallest color change or sign of a crack, call me as soon as you can"

"I still don't understand what this has to do with a rock but…okay" Elena replied "Now you go back to enjoying your honeymoon or I'll call Oliver"

"Thanks Elena"

"You're welcome, now goodbye!"

Elena was the first to hang up the phone and Nyssa slowly brought it down from her ear and stared at the screen for a moment before ending the call.

"Nyssa, what's going on? You've had nightmares before but none caused a reaction like what just happened" Oliver started as he walked over towards her "Please, tell me what's going on"

"Promise me you won't leave me…" Nyssa muttered without making eye contact

"Why would I ever leave you? I love you" Oliver said with a small smile "What would make you say something like that?"

"You're going to leave me…"

"What? No, Nyssa, I would never"

"Not now….in seven years"

"How would you know that for sure…?"

"Because I saw it Oliver" Nyssa stammered "You and William…left"

"Why would we leave you? You know we both love you"

"Because I failed!" Nyssa said suddenly "I failed the league, I started a war and everyone suffered because of it! You and William got smart and left before you could get any deeper into the conflict a-and….I died….alone"

"Nyssa, it was just a nightmare. William and I would never leave you, especially when you need us most"

"No…it was the future…I saw a flashback from when I pulled out the Lazarus stone and then every nightmare one could possibly imagine…all wrapped together in a war involving the league"

"So you think it's a warning?"

"I think Fayiz or screwing with me or a war is coming and I need to stop it before it starts"

"Do you want to go back to Finiks Jurf and try to figure this out instead of staying down here?"

"No" Nyssa replied suddenly "I don't want to ruin our honeymoon just to chase down a lead that may not even be true"

"Okay, but just know that if we need to leave at any time, you let me know and we can leave within the hour"

"Thank you husband"

"No need to thank me Nys, you're my wife" Oliver said as he wrapped his arms around her "Now, why don't we get back to bed so we can still have that morning walk?"

"Alright"

Oliver led Nyssa back into the bedroom and they both got back underneath the covers. Oliver was able to curl back up after finding a comfortable spot and fell asleep rather quickly.

Nyssa on the other hand, laid in her back for at least a few hours, just watching the ceiling and thinking about what she was just warned about.

To her dismay, it was around four in the morning and she still wasn't falling asleep. In an attempt to try and relax her mind a bit, Nyssa got out of bed and got changed into some shorts and a tee shirt, then walked out on the back porch. It was only around four in the morning and it was a bit chilly outside, but it wasn't really bad.

When Nyssa was a few feet away from where the water was rolling up on the shore, she sat down on the sand in a criss cross position, facing the water. Although the sky was dark, the silver stars above were being reflected off the water's surface, providing a peaceful place for Nyssa to just think.

Seeing the stars dance across the water gave Nyssa an idea. If anyone in the world, or other dimensions, could confirm the warning of the war, it was Fayiz. The only road block was getting to the bridge. Nyssa remembered that last time she got to the bridge was when she and Dakota were fighting and she combined the celestial, illusion, dark, and light portions of power that the sword gave her.

Keeping that in mind, Nyssa extended her right hand in front of her and created a small light, then created a small puff of black mist in the other. The hardest part of combining all the powers was making two of them become independent so she could create two more, so to make it easier, Nyssa destroyed the light and mist she just created and replaced them with an orange light and a small silver spark. Nyssa let the small portions fall off of her fingertips and hover right in front of her.

Seeing that she was successful, Nyssa created the light and black mist again and went through a similar process, but this time when she let them fall off her fingertips and next to the others, they all started to come together slowly. In less than a few seconds, the four powers ran into each other and a small but blinding, golden light caused Nyssa to shield her eyes.

When she opened her eyes, Nyssa was standing in the grassy field of the bridge in the attire she was wearing on the beach.

"Uh, Fayiz? Father? Hello?" Nyssa called into the emptiness

"My child, what are you doing here?" Ra's asked as he approached her from behind "You just got married and should be spending time with your beloved, not worrying about what goes on in the bridge"

"Father, I need to see Fayiz immediately" Nyssa replied "Please, show me where I can find him"

"I'm right here, Nyssa" Fayiz replied as he appeared from behind Ra's "I do have to ask, why are you here on your honeymoon?"

"Okay, to cut the formalities…." Nyssa started "Did I do something to offend you in the last few months?"

"Um, no. Why do you ask?" Fayiz asked curiously

"Because I just had the most…terrifying dream which was more like a warning" Nyssa started "Did you send that?"

"No, it must have been the guardians of time" Fayiz replied

"I'm sorry, who?"

"They're guardians like I, and now your father, are. We protect the great warriors of the world while they protect the time line"

"So it's like the time masters that Sara Lance screwed with a couple years back?"

"Yes, but these guardians can't be taken down so easily, as they are immortal"

"So would they be sending me the warning to stop it or just dread something that may or may not happen in the future?"

"It's either a warning or it's a test"

"Test?"

"Yes, the guardians have been known to test a few of my best warriors to see how they survive after they're exposed to a potential crisis. The only way we can confirm if that's the case is if you look into the future"

"Can we do that here, with the memory stone or something?"

"No, the stone only takes us back to memories, not the future and yes, I mean that we can't see your future memories"

"So how do you propose I confirm the warning?"

"If I were you, I'd make a little visit to Barry Allen and his team in Central City. He or Cisco Ramon can take you into the future to see what will happen"

"Why can't I contact Sara and ask her to help me?"

"She's a curious and stubborn one. Besides, if you take the Waverider, you will be forced to interact with the battle because you will be in a human state. If you go with Mr. Allen or Mr. Ramon, you would be watching from the speed force or as a…ghost of sorts"

"So you're saying that in order for me to find out if my league will fall apart, I need to travel forward into time as an invisible and untraceable being and see for myself"

"Precisely. And if I were you, I'd make the trip to Central City after you get back into Star City. It's your choice to tell Oliver, but you should think about how you would stop this if the warning is a reality" Fayiz advised

"Thank you" Nyssa said with a small smile "Now how exactly do I get back? Every time I haven't forced coming here, I just fade back into the real world but I don't hear the church bells yet…"

"Ah, there's a small portal just over that hill over there. Once you walk through it, your spirit will return to your body where you left it, on the coast"

"Wow, this spiritual stuff and supernatural sword powers are going to end up making my head explode one of these days" Nyssa chuckled "Anyway, I-"

Nyssa was about to finish her sentence when she heard a familiar voice echoing through the sky, which sounded a lot like her beloved.

"Oliver…?" Nyssa questioned as she looked up at the sky

"Yes, it seems he's trying to get you back. You best be going" Fayiz said with a small wave

"Alright, thank you again for the help!" Nyssa said as she turned around and ran towards the hill Fayiz had pointed out

-(=+=)-

"Nyssa! Hey, open your eyes!" Oliver said as he shook Nyssa's shoulders

As soon as he finished his sentence, Nyssa's eyes shot open with a small jump. She was looking out at the ocean when she left for the bridge, which was dark at the time, but now the water was illuminated by the morning sunrise.

"I got it!" Nyssa said excitedly as she turned towards Oliver

"Got what?" Oliver asked "Wait, what just happened exactly?"

"I went to the bridge and got Fayiz's help with the whole warning or trial dream. He said that if I want to find out if it's going to be a reality, then I need to go to Central City and get Barry or Cisco's help with going forward into time" Nyssa replied

"Wait, forward? Can't Sara and the legends do that?" Oliver asked as they both got up from the sandy shore

"Not in the way I'd have to do it. I can't go to the future and see myself as a human like I would on Sara's ship, but I have to go more like an undetectable figure…like a ghost of sorts"

"So Barry and Cisco can do this?"

"Apparently, but I'd feel more comfortable if Cisco could give me a hand. I've known him a bit longer and better if you know what I mean"

"Okay, do you want to go right now?"

"No! We can do this once we're back in Star City with William. While he's at school and you're in the office, I'll go up there and get the help of the team and maybe bring Dakota along with"

"Right, school starts up next week" Oliver said happily "I think William will be happy getting back into a routine"

"Yes, and this time, I can act like an actual mother figure so I guess this year's going to be my learning curve"

"Well not entirely, since you still have to go to 'work' on the other side of the world"

"Okay, but I'll still be there when you guys wake up, unless something goes horribly wrong"

"I doubt that will happen when you and Elena are running the place" Oliver chuckled "So, about that morning walk"

"You're still in your sweats" Nyssa chuckled "You should get changed because the warm sand against your legs in the morning feels amazing!"

"Okay then, I'll go change and we can get going" Oliver smiled as they walked up to the porch

Oliver walked inside the beach house and got changed into some shorts and a tee shirt like Nyssa suggested, then walked back outside where he saw his wife sitting on the wooden railing waiting for him to return

"By the way, you should just leave your sandals here. The sand's too soft to wear shoes" Nyssa said as she jumped off the railing

"Alright, you would know" Oliver said as he kicked his shoes to the side. "Any direction you want to go in?"

"How about east so we can see the sunrise better?"

"That does sound really nice so let's get going before we miss it" Oliver smiled as he took Nyssa's hand and walked down the porch and into the sand

While walking along the coastline, the couple talked about random things that were happening back in Star City, Finiks Jurf, and even the upcoming year with William going into high school. Over all, it was a peaceful and productive walk, but there were several more to come during the next six days down on the coast.

 **Author's Note: Alright, sorry for the incredibly short chapter, but I was having a hard time figuring out what else I wanted to add for honeymoon fluff, but it would just get repetitive to the point of annoyance. Next chapter should be Oliver and Nyssa going back to Star City, reuniting with William and the team, then Nyssa traveling to Central City to get the help of Team Flash!**


	12. Stop The Future

The day had finally come when it was time for Nyssa and Oliver to return to Star City and resume their daily agenda. Once they got back, they would have a few days before William would be starting school again so it gave them a bit of time to prepare.

Ever since the warning of the war, Nyssa hadn't received any calls from Elena regarding the stone, so she started believing that it was all just a test given by the time guardians. With that whole situation being put behind her, she was able to focus more on the trip but she still decided to pay Team Flash a visit later.

Oliver was putting the last of his things in his bag when he was suddenly stopped by a light tap on his shoulder. He turned his head just slightly before two, warm hands cupped the side of his face and pulled him into a kiss. When Oliver slowly pulled out of the kiss, he saw greeted by the most enchanting brown eyes he had ever seen

"You're looking quite frisky today" Oliver smiled

"I just really love my husband" Nyssa replied as a smile spread across her face "Is that all right?"

"Why would it not?" Oliver smirked as he wrapped his arms around her waist, and she rested hers on his shoulders "I have an idea"

"Hmmm, and what is that beloved?"

"Let's end this trip with a bang, shall we?" Oliver smirked as he pushed his wife down on the bed

Oliver started kissing Nyssa with all the passion he could muster once she was pinned underneath him. She returned it with all the passionate fire she had in her, but being the submissive partner wasn't her speed. Nyssa wrapped her arms around Oliver's back, then quickly flipped them both so she was on top

"Do you really think I'd let you have all the fun?" Nyssa said with a devilish smirk

"Never"

-(=+=)-

"It's getting close to sundown. We should probably get going so we don't start a panic back in Star" Oliver said as he picked up the bags by the door

"Aw, but it's so beautiful here" Nyssa smiled "Are you sure you want to go?"

"You have no idea how much I'd like to stay here with you, but we both have jobs and positions we need to get back to" Oliver said, a bit disappointed

"You do have a fair point" Nyssa replied

"So are you alright to take us back to Star?"

"Yeah, are you?"

"I suppose so" Oliver said as he picked up the few bags they had brought

"Here, let me help you with that" Nyssa said as she took half of their belongings and carried them out to the sandy beach with Oliver. "Alright, are you ready to go back home?"

"Yeah, I'm ready. You?"

"Unfortunately"

Nyssa shifted the bags to free her right hand, then let a small flames escape it. It slowly grew and took the form of Nuriel. Before the couple knew it, Nuriel was circled around them and the blinding, white light appeared. The rush of warm air told the two vigilantes that they had arrived back in Star City, so they both opened their eyes and found themselves in the penthouse living room.

"Well look at that, it's only six in the morning" Oliver chuckled as he set down the bags by the wall.

"The time jumps can get really confusing after a while" Nyssa started "Do you need to go to the mayor's office today or do you still have the day off?"

"I believe half of the day is mine, as I need to get back to pass some proposals of sorts. Should we go pick William up?"

"I think he would appreciate it. He did mention that he wasn't a big fan of being around small children before we left" Nyssa replied with a small giggle

"Why don't we go pick him up so he doesn't have to do something he doesn't enjoy?"

"Sounds like a plan"

-(=+=)-

Nyssa and Oliver both walked through the long hallway of the apartment complex that the Diggles lived in. They soon came to the door labeled '246' and Oliver gave the door a firm and gentle knock

"Hey man! Welcome back!" Dig said when he opened the door and pulled Oliver into something like a half hug. "How was your trip?"

"Refreshing and a wonderful way to spend the two weeks" Oliver replied "Is William here?"

"Yeah, he's in the kitchen helping Lyla with breakfast" Dig replied, then leaned closer to his friend "William sure does have a talent for making French toast. Did you teach him that?"

"I did, and I'm very glad to hear that William is carrying on the Queen family tradition" Oliver chuckled

"When did it become tradition because if it was a secret tradition, then we Diggles now know it well" Lyla chuckled as she walked around the corner. "Good to see you got back safely"

"Thank you Lyla" Oliver smiled "Is William-"

"I'm right here!" William called as he ran around the corner "Hey Dad, hey Mom!"

William ran over to his parents and was pulled into a warm hug by both of them. They all stayed like that for several seconds and until William pulled free.

"So? What was the best part of the trip?" William asked with a huge grin on his face

"Probably getting to go cliff diving, then see a reef shark" Oliver replied, receiving a smile and no from Nyssa

"Okay, how about the worse part?"

"Umm…" Oliver started, then looked over Nyssa who knew exactly what he was thinking. "We were both running on the coastline and it was dark out so we couldn't see a branch we both tripped over. Both of us got a mouthful of sand"

"Eww, that is pretty bad" William chuckled "Hey Uncle Dig, can mom and dad join us for breakfast?"

"I don't suppose why not. After all, we have plenty of toast to go around" Lyla smiled as she walked into the kitchen with the small group

When they walked into the kitchen, Oliver and Nyssa saw the almost two year old twins sitting in high chairs next to each other. There were two large plates sitting on the island, each having a stack of French toast about ten high.

"Wow, you guys made a lot of toast. Are we expecting another family to join us?" Dig chuckled as he took a piece of toast and took a bite "Hmmm, Oliver, you're not getting your son back if he can make French toast like this"

"Well that's unfortunate" Oliver laughed with a fake sigh "I really did love my son, guess that won't last"

"Hey! I still want to go home!" William laughed as he sat down at the island and took a few pieces of toast

"Oh, good! We like having you around" Oliver laughed as he ruffled William's hair

"How about instead of spending the morning talking, we all eat this toast before it gets cold?" Lyla asked as she pulled some plates from the cupboard and put them next to the plates of toast

Nyssa and Oliver both took a seat at the counter along with William and the Diggles. Each of them took a few pieces of toast and continued the small talk regarding the trip.

"So how exactly did you tame a shark because as far as I know, only scuba divers know how to do that" Dig asked

"It's not as hard as it looks. I just had to earn the shark's trust and then it became as simple putting my hand on its head" Nyssa replied

"And you did this by swimming into a coral reef, finding a shark, and just swimming with it?" Lyla asked

"That's exactly what I did, but I was able to tame it after remembering what a member of the league of assassins told my father when I was just a child"

"Huh, they really do have a little of everything in the league" Lyla replied

"I guess so, which is-" Nyssa started, but was stopped when her phone started to vibrate in her pocket. "Um, I'll be right back" Nyssa said as she got up from the chair and walked into another room.

Once she was out of ear shot from the group, Nyssa answered the call coming from Elena.

"Élena, parakaló peíte mou óti échete kalá néa (Elena, please tell me that you have good news)" Nyssa said when she picked up

 _"_ _an ypárchoun kalá néa schetiká me tin pétra, tóte écho kalá néa (If good news is regarding the stone, then I have good news)"_ Elena replied

"Den eínai akrivós kalá néa, allá aplá peíte mou (It's not exactly good news, but just tell me)"

 _"_ _Ypárchei mia skoteiní, odontotí rogmí sti misí pétra (There's a dark, jagged crack on half the stone)"_

"Entáxei, sas efcharistó pou me enimérosa. tha eímai ekeí sýntoma (Okay, thank you for letting me know. I'll be there soon)"

 _"_ _Ta léme tote (See you then)"_

Nyssa hung up the phone and noticed that her hands were shaking just slightly, which would have given something away if she didn't know how to stop it. She walked back into the kitchen where she saw Oliver and Dig arm wrestling while William and Lyla both cheered for their family member.

"I won't let you win this time Dig!" Oliver said as he tried to push Dig's arm down

"But I already have!" Dig laughed as he pushed Oliver's arm to the table, giving him the win

"Dang! You just got beaten up Dad!" William laughed

"I suppose so" Oliver laughed "Good match Dig"

"You too man!"

"Yes, it was a rather good match although I only saw the end" Nyssa said as she walked up to Oliver from behind "I have to get going, something came up"

"Any details?" Oliver asked as he turned around to face his wife

"Eto kamen' Lazarya. Tam proizoshli izmeneniya. Mne nuzhno dobrat'sya do Tsentral'nogo goroda (It's the Lazarus Stone. There's been a change. I need to get to Central City)" Nyssa whispered

"Vy uvereny, chto ne khotite, chtoby ya prishel? (Are you sure you don't want me to come with?)" Oliver asked

"Positive. Besides, you need to get back to the office later today. I'll be back by sundown…I think" Nyssa said as he gave Oliver a quick kiss, then walked out of the apartment

"What's going on Dad? You only speak in Russian when something's wrong" William asked, a bit nervously

"Don't worry. Mom just has to take care of something with the league and she'll be back soon" Oliver replied

"Well where is she going exactly?"

"Central City. There's someone there that can help her out"

"Okay, so if something goes wrong, you can just call The Flash or something" William said cheerfully "Am I ever going to learn his identity?"

"I don't know, that's his secret to tell, not mine" Oliver chuckled

"Not even going to tell me his middle name?"

"Sorry, I can't tell you that either"

"Let me tell you thought, it's not who you would expect it to be" Dig chuckled as he took the last piece of French toast

"Hey! I called that piece!" Lyla laughed

"Did you now?" Dig smirked "Tell you what, we split it"

"Fine, but don't expect me to split dinner with you"

"I wouldn't dream of it"

-(=+=)-

Nyssa walked back into the penthouse and went straight to the wall where Oliver and her had set their bags from the vacation. She pulled out a black duffle bag and looked inside, confirming the contents. After seeing her full set of armor was inside, Nyssa quickly got changed into it and pulled her hood and veil up.

Once that was all taken care of, Nyssa walked to the center of the room and called Nuriel. The phoenix received it's directions and started circling around her. Nyssa shut her eyes and once she felt the warm air, she opened them and found herself right outside of Star Labs.

-(=+=)-

"Okay, so whoever wins this game has to buy the other coffee for a week!" Cisco said as he passed Barry five darts

"Deal, but I don't think you're going to beat me and my spectacular aim!" Barry replied

"What are these lies that I hear about you having great aim?" Caitlin asked "You both suck at darts!"

"I have to agree, you both are pretty bad" Ralph chuckled as he leaned up against the desk next to Caitlin

"How about I prove you wrong!" Cisco said as he started to aim the dart towards the board across the room

Right before Cisco was able to throw the dart, an alarm went off from the main computer. Caitlin quickly walked over and looked at the screen

"Security breech. There's an unauthorized figure in the labs!" Caitlin said suddenly

"Okay, we're on it!" Barry replied "We'll find them rather quickly"

"I would hope so" A masked figure said from the entrance "If you didn't I would start to wonder what kind of team you have"

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?" Cisco growled

"Chill it, I'm a friend" Nyssa said as she removed her hood

"Nyssa? What are you doing here? Where's Oliver?" Barry asked as he walked over to her

"Oliver is back in Star City with William" Nyssa started, then looked over at Cisco "And I'm here because I need your help"

"Let me guess. You need me to take you somewhere?" Cisco asked

"No, I don't need help with that. Can you take me seven years into the future?"

"I'm sorry, what?!" Cisco asked as his eyes widened "Why the hell do you need to go into the future and why can't you call up your ex and the legends to help?"

"Because Sara can only bring me there as a human but I need to get there more like a shadow or a ghost of sorts" Nyssa said "Can you help me out?"

"U-um…sure" Cisco said as he grabbed his gloves. "Any specific location?"

"Finiks Jurf….July 2025" Nyssa replied

"Are you sure that this isn't going to end in a huge explosion or something?" Barry asked "Besides, I can run into the future which is actually more guaranteed to work"

"Thank you Barry, but my armor isn't friction proof and I'd prefer not burning up while traveling through the speed force" Nyssa replied

"Wait a minute, you're a meta, right?" Cisco asked

"Um, I guess so…?"

"What can you do exactly, because I may need your help with something before we go"

"My power comes from my sword. There are actually nine different 'powers' that I can use but I mostly use fire" Nyssa explained "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Yes, actually!" Cisco said excitedly

Cisco ran out of the room they were in and came back a few minutes later with two small but strong looking pieces of metal.

"Okay, how hot can you make the fire?" Cisco asked

"Um, the flame can turn white easily but I'm still working on making it a darker blue"

"Can you forge these two pieces together right down this edge?" Cisco asked as he held the two pieces out after lining them up

"Sure" Nyssa replied as she drew her sword out of the sheath

She gave the sword a quick twirl, making the blade light up with a light blue fire. Nyssa pressed the blade into the metal and watched as it started to move together. Once one side was forged, Cisco gave the metal a quick flip and Nyssa did the same to the other side

"What is this for exactly?" Nyssa asked as she removed her blade and put it back in the sheath

"It's a side project I've been working on for a new type of weapon" Cisco replied "Alright, now let's get to the future!"

Cisco walked into the middle of the room and created something similar to a breach, but the portal seemed to be glowing almost

"Alright, we just have to jump through and we'll be in Finiks Jurf, July 2025" Cisco explained

Nyssa nodded while trying to hide her nervousness right before the two of them jumped through the breach. They both landed on some dried up grass of the fjord and looked around.

Nyssa and Cisco were standing on one of the cliffs that over looked Finiks Jurf, giving them a 'perfect' view of the abandoned home of the league. There were small fires scattered around and the sky was a dusty yellow shade.

"Hey, look over there" Cisco said as he pointed over to another cliff

Nyssa looked in the direction Cisco was pointing in and saw three figures; one female in black and gold armor while the other two were men. One was dressed in dark green and black while the other was in black, dark blue, and silver.

"Oliver, please! I'll figure this out! I'll stop Kamal and-" The woman said frantically, but she was stopped

"Nyssa! We have been fighting them for over five years and you keep saying that you can fix this, but every time you try to it gets worse!" The older man shouted back "William was dragged into fighting when he was only seventeen and everything has gone downhill since then!"

"Please! I can do this! I found a way to end this without someone dying!"

"But people have already died! Elena, Dakota, Lenora, Jacob….they all died after following you into battle when you said you had a plan, but it was only half developed!" Oliver shouted "And now I'm going to do what I should have done before this started…."

Oliver pulled off his right glove and removed a silver ring off his finger and threw it on the ground, then wrapped his arm around William's shoulder and started walking away

"It was a mistake marrying you…" Oliver said quietly

"Oliver! Please don't leave me!" The woman said as tears streamed down her cheeks and hit the dying grass beneath her

It was too late. The two men had disappeared in the distance, leaving the woman alone at the cliff.

"Oh my god…." Nyssa muttered as she stared at the woman, who she now realized was her seven years in the future

"Nyssa? This isn't what you wanted to see, is it?" Cisco asked

"It's not the outcome I was hoping for…" Nyssa replied before her eyes moved back towards the woman

The woman had collapsed to her knees and was looking down at the silver ring her husband had just thrown on the ground. She reached her hand out and picked the ring up, then looked at it with her eyes full of tears. She moved her hand over her face and wiped away the tears, then looked down at the grand and abandoned fortress beneath her. With the slightest bit of hesitation, she pulled her bow off her belt and nocked an arrow on it after the limbs were extended. She shot it into the distance and zipped down the cable until she was right above the entrance hall, where she jumped down and walked inside.

"Can you take us down there?" Nyssa asked

"Sure, just follow me" Cisco said as he opened a breach

The two of them jumped through the breach and landed right behind future Nyssa, but she didn't turn her head to see them

"Wait, can we even be seen?" Nyssa asked

"No. Anyone from this time period cannot see us. To us, we're human but to them, we're invisible and they can't hear us" Cisco explained, receiving a nod from Nyssa

Nyssa and Cisco watched as the future Nyssa walked towards the risen platform and ascended the stairs. They followed her up after seeing what she was staring at. Once they were up there with future Nyssa, they could see what she was staring at and it terrified Nyssa. The waterfall that supplied Finiks Jurf with eternal water was completely dried up and the pools below the platform that usually flowed out into the lake were completely empty.

"That's impossible. The waterfall can't dry up" Nyssa stammered as she looked at the waterfall, then Cisco

"Kamal…you're going to pay!" Future Nyssa muttered as she jumped off the platform and walked outside of the main hall

"We should go back, before we get stuck here for good" Cisco said as he opened another breach

"Y-yeah…" Nyssa said as she jumped through the portal with Cisco

When their feet touched the ground again, Nyssa and Cisco were both back in Star Labs, where Barry, Caitlin, and Ralph were all waiting

"Sooo, how's the future seven years from now? Do I have a beard?" Ralph asked

"T-terrifying…" Nyssa stammered "Thank you for your help, but I have to go"

"Wait, where?" Caitlin asked

Before someone could say something else, Nyssa created a ring of fire which took the form of a phoenix, which perched itself on Nyssa's shoulder.

"Finiks Jurf. I need to stop this before it starts and gets out of hand" Nyssa replied as Nuriel jumped off her shoulder and started to circle around her while growing in size

Team Flash watched as Nuriel grew almost four times larger than the assassin it was circling. In a quick movement, Nuriel closed in on Nyssa and then burned up into the air, revealing where Nyssa was just standing to be empty

"I can see why she doesn't need your help with teleportation" Caitlin snickered

"Yeah, and her way is so much cooler than mine! She's got a phoenix for crying out loud!" Cisco said as he took off his gloves

"Maybe you should do something to change that" Barry smirked "Like find a way to turn your breaches different colors or something"

"Seriously Barry? Colors?" Cisco questioned "If I want to make my entrance grand, I think I should find a way to add fire and some explosions of some sort"

"Yeah, good luck with that" Barry laughed as he started walking out of the room "I'm going to pick up some pizza for lunch. Anyone want anything?"

"Yes! Meat lovers!" Cisco and Ralph both shouted out in sync

"Okay, Caitlin, do you want anything?"

"I'll just have whatever you're getting" Caitlin replied

"Got it! Be back in a few!" Barry said as he ran out of the lab

"So, who wants to play against me in darts?" Cisco asked

-(=+=)-

As soon as Nyssa opened her eyes and found herself on one of the cliffs belonging to the fjord, she started running as fast as she could. Eventually, she reached the edge of the cliff right above one of the larger wooden bridges. Nyssa took a few steps back, then ran off the edge of the cliff and fell down towards the bridge. She was able to land on in a crouching position, then got up and started running again.

Nyssa soon reached the science division and ran inside to find Zayn or Elena. When she got inside, she was met by one of the heads

"Nyssa, I suppose you're looking for Zayn and Elena" The man said "I can take you to them if you'd like"

"Yes, please" Nyssa said as she followed the man down a hallway

The head of the division led Nyssa down a hallway. They eventually came into a room where she saw Elena and Zayn both standing by a table where a clear, glass case was sitting, holding the neutralized Lazarus stone

"Glad to see you could make it" Elena smiled as Nyssa walked over to her side

Without saying a word, Nyssa looked down at the Lazarus stone and saw the dark, jagged crack that had formed over half of the stone. It was starting to branch off in different directions, forming small cracks. In the main crack, there was a black stain that looked kind of like ink.

"How long has it been since the crack formed?" Nyssa asked

"I think it's been about an hour and a half" Elena replied

"It's growing rapidly, which means that we have until sun rise tomorrow" Nyssa stated "Someone needs to stay up here and make sure something big doesn't happen. I'm going to try and find an answer"

"I'll stay here. You two both have duties to the league" Zayn offered

"Thank you Zayn" Nyssa smiled "Elena, can you run the league while I'm in the library?"

"Sure, but I need to leave for a mission tomorrow afternoon" Elena answered

"Okay, just do your best until then" Nyssa replied as she walked out of the room

The leader of the phoenix league quickly walked out of the cave belonging to the science division and back to the main hall, where the library had been built. When she arrived, she found that there were a few younger assassins studying for something, so she did her best to stay out of their way.

Nyssa walked up to the second level of the library and started looking through the shelves to find any book that could have a reference to the Lazarus pit, supernatural waters or substances, balance between darkness and light, or even the league of assassins' history. She was soon able to find around twelve books that could have what she was looking for, so she collected them and sat down at one of the desks upstairs. Before opening the first book, Nyssa grabbed a few sheets of paper from a shelf and a pen so she could write down any possibilities for fixing the stone.

After five hours of reading and writing down several notes, Nyssa still hadn't found anything helpful. The only things she had found that were remotely related to the Lazarus pit was the creation process, maintenance, and the tale of the oldest Ra's.

The only thing that she found remotely similar to her situation was information regarding the stone's creation so it could help provide more power to the water. It mentioned that in order to make the stone most effective, it had to lean more towards darkness rather than light, which is why Nyssa's father slowly started losing his soul to the pit.

Sometimes, the stone's power would fluctuate so the priestess would have to balance it out with a ritual, but the steps in that ritual mentioned nothing regarding cracks across the stone.

Nyssa opened another book she found and was only on the first few pages when she heard the young assassins talking below her.

"So you want to fill a position that takes care of the eternal water?" A female asked her friend

"Yeah, and my exam is coming up soon. My mom said that I should choose something I'm interested in rather than something my father wants for me" The boy replied

"Well your mom is right Nathaniel" The girl replied "You really do have a thing for those pools. You got anything new you can tell me?"

"Sure!" Nathaniel replied happily "Apparently, the eternal waters and the Lazarus waters are complete opposites, like an angel and a demon. One can't take over the other, only confine it's power for a limited amount of time before all of that contained power becomes unstable and changes into something else!"

"Wow, that's pretty neat! Do you think you'll ever get to release built up power like that?"

"I don't think so. From what I've learned, the only person who can is Ta-er Al-Fyniq because of the powers her sword gives her, and she's the creator of the waterfall" Nathaniel started "But if I did get to see it, I would definitely have to drag you along Abigail"

"Aw, that's sweet" Abigail replied "But you know I'm more interested in the medical field"

"I know, which is why you should come and learn more about the waters so you can help more people!"

"Okay, that makes sense" Abigail replied with a smile "By the way, I heard some gossip about a problem with the Lazarus stone"

"What kind of gossip?"

"Built up and trapped power. Apparently, the purification didn't work and now the stone is trying to break free"

"That means that it will be like Pandora's box all over again!" Nathaniel said suddenly "We should go talk to someone in the science division and see how we can help!"

"Or, you could help me" Nyssa said as she walked down the stairs and to the table the two of them were sitting at "The rumors regarding the stone are true, and I need you to tell me what you have found about balancing out the powers"

"No way…!" Nathaniel gasped "Uh, wait, did you hear our entire conversation?"

"Most of it, but the important part is fixing the stone. You're right, it's like Pandora's box all over again so please tell me what you can about the balancing" Nyssa answered

"Alright then" Nathaiel replied as he took out his notes. "So the purification process has to do with giving the stone back it's darkness, so the built up power inside of it can be released safely. The only reason it's been built up is because of the light that has shielded it from being released"

"But if the power is released, then wouldn't it be like a miniature Pandora's box?" Abigail asked

"Not exactly. If it was built up completely, then there would be no hope of stopping it; however, if you can release the power earlier, then it's completely possible to counter it with light"

"How long does the balancing take?" Nyssa asked

"My estimate would be around two hours, so if you want to release the powers of the stone before sunrise, then you have around three hours at the most" Nathaniel replied

"Okay, thank you so much for your help" Nyssa said as she started walking away

"Wait a second!" Abigail called, making Nyssa stop and turn around "Would Nathaniel be able to watch the balancing? He's always had a passion for the waters and it would be a fantastic opportunity for him to see it and learn more"

"Abigail, I don't want to be a burden. Besides, she probably has enough on her plate as is and-" Nathaniel managed before he was stopped

"I agree, it would be a good opportunity" Nyssa smiled "Nathaniel, Abigail, would you like to join me and my team for the balancing?"

"Yes! Please!" Nathaniel said excitedly as he and Abigail gathered their things and followed Nyssa back to the science division.

They walked inside the cave that belonged to the STEM researchers and made their way to the defensive sciences workshop. When they walked in, the two younger assassins' eyes widened when they saw all the people in the room, all trying to create the next biggest league innovation. Nathaniel and Abigail followed Nyssa down a hallway and into a smaller room. Inside, they saw a man with dark hair sitting by a table where the Lazarus stone was sitting in a small, glass case.

"Welcome back Nyssa. Were you able to find a way to fix this whole mess?" Zayn asked when they entered

"I actually found these two in the library who identified the problem with the stone" Nyssa started "The darkness is being built up inside and if we don't release it soon, then an event like Pandora's box is going to take place and there won't be anything we, as a league, can do to stop it"

"Okay then, how do we fix this?" Zayn asked

"May I take a look at the stone more closely?" Nathaniel asked, receiving a nod from Nyssa and Zayn.

The seventeen year old assassin walked over to the glass case and looked inside. A perfectly smooth, gray stone was sitting in the middle with around half of its entire surface covered in cracks, which were stained a jet black shade. Beyond the cracks there were small flakes of amber that looked to be multiplying slowly

"Okay, the amber is definitely a sign of concern, but there's still time to reverse all of this" Nathaniel reported

"Alright, what do we need to do?" Nyssa asked

"We need a large space, a large piece of stone, and you" Nathaniel replied as he glanced over at Nyssa

"Okay, let's find Elena and get this whole thing fixed" Nyssa said "Zayn, you take the Lazarus stone up to the cliff just outside the Finiks Jurf territory. Nathaniel and Abigail, please gather any notes or things we might need during the balancing so we don't take any unnecessary risks"

"Right away!" Nathaniel and Abigail both said in sync as they ran out of the room

"Are you sure we should be trusting what those two kids say?" Zayn asked when they were out of the room

"Right now, we don't have any other options. If we don't trust what they say, then the league will be led by to its downfall" Nyssa replied

"Wait, how would you know that?"

"I saw the future with the help of an ally in Central City"

"Hmm, are you sure we can trust this ally?"

"They wouldn't be an ally if I didn't. Besides, they have been helping Oliver for the past three and a half years"

"Okay then, I'm going to head up to the cliff with a few of my helpers. See you in a few"

"Right…thank you Zayn"

"No problem, just please don't do anything stupid"

"I would never!" Nyssa laughed

"Riiiight, let's just see how this turns out" Zayn chuckled "I don't want to see the league fall. This place is the only home I've got"

"Yeah…you're not the only one"

 **Author's Note: Sorry about the late-ish chapter. Finals are coming up and I spent the night studying and sleeping. If you guys have an ideas on what you want to see unfold with this conflict, leave it in the reviews or PM me. I've got a plan in place but it would nice to know where you guys want to see this whole thing go because I'm willing to change it**


	13. Paying The Price Of Freedom

Everyone that knew about the balancing act that was going to be performed on the stone had broken off in several different directions in order to get everything prepared in time. Zayn had collected the Lazarus stone and was heading to the furthest cliff in the Finiks Jurf territory, Abigail was helping Nathaniel gather all his notes that could come in handy, and Nyssa was running around the great fortress trying to find her right hand.

Nyssa had already checked the training grounds, the runway, and the dining hall, which meant that Elena was probably in the main hall doing something. Nyssa ran in the direction of the hall and when she entered, she saw Ishaq and a girl that looked to be around thirteen years old, tending to the pools

"Because these waters are so special, it's important that we be very gentle when we take care of them, otherwise, we might inflict unintentional harm" Ishaq said in a kind voice

"So how do I check the water if it's so fragile?" The young girl asked

"Ah, we have a special method that involves-" Ishaq started before he heard Nyssa's footsteps. "Nyssa, what a pleasant surprise! Can I help you with something?"

"Yeah, have you seen Elena around here?" Nyssa asked

"Yes, I believe she is in the library with Andrew. That's where I last saw her about an hour ago"

"Alright, thank you!" Nyssa replied as she ran off towards the library

Nyssa ran down the very familiar hallways towards the grand library door. When she was outside of the large, dark oak wood door, she pushed it open quickly, but silently. She took a quick look around the first floor of the library, but didn't spot her friend. Nyssa walked up to the second level of the library and looked around, this time having more luck. She peered around a corner and saw both Elena and Andrew sitting at a small table, each with their heads in a large book.

"Um, Elena?" Nyssa said silently as she walked up to the couple

Elena took her head out of the book she was reading and smiled at Nyssa. "Why hello there Nyssa! Did you need something?"

"I guess every time I do see you these days is because I need something" Nyssa said with a small chuckle "We found a way to fix the stone. I overheard two teenagers in here about an hour ago talking about the balance between the two water forces and we figured out a way to balance everything out…and I'd like you to be there, just in case something happens"

"Of course I'll be there" Elena said with a smile as she got up from her chair "When do you need me there?"

"We're going to try and get this done with as soon as possible so we don't run out of time"

"Got it, I'll follow you out then" Elena started, then turned to her husband "I'll be back in an hour or two"

"Alright, be quick my little lotus" Andrew smiled as he gave Elena a quick kiss goodbye

"You know I will" Elena smiled as she and Nyssa walked off the first level of the library

"Hey, can you go ahead of me? I need to call Oliver" Nyssa said when they were in the hallway outside the library

"Sure, I can just wait for you in the entrance hall" Elena smiled as she started walking away

While Elena was walking away, Nyssa reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She dialed Oliver' number and waited a few moment before he picked up.

 _"_ _Hey Nys! I just got a call from Barry saying that Cisco took you to 2025. He said you were pretty shaken up afterwards. Is everything alright?"_

"Everything's fine beloved. I found out how to neutralize the Lazarus stone with the help of a small team. We're going to be fixing it tonight before the problem gets worse so I might be home around midnight instead of sunset"

 _"_ _Okay, and this time, I will do my best to not take up your side of the bed"_

"Thanks beloved. Are you and William going to be alright until I get back?"

 _"_ _Yeah, we'll be just fine"_ Oliver replied happily _"Are you going to be alright?"_

"Yeah, I've got Elena and Zayn with me to fix this I'll be just fine"

 _"_ _Okay then, I'll see you tonight then…I love you Nyssa"_

"Love you too husband" Nyssa smiled as she and Oliver both hung up

-(=+=)-

"Okay, we got the two stone, you both have a plan in place and all we need is Nyssa" Zayn said "Where is she?"

"I'm right here!" Nyssa called as she and Elena ran towards the small group

"Glad to see the star of the show is able to make it" Abigail chuckled

"I have no intention of making this a production" Nyssa chuckled "Alright, so what's the plan you've laid out?"

"So from my research, you need to feed the stone a little bit of pure darkness to break the light's containment effects. Once the trapped darkness is freed, you're not going to have a lot of time, but you'll want to hit it with as much light as you can possibly muster. There's no telling how much you'll actually need, but too much won't hurt at all" Nathaniel explained

"And I'm using my sword for this?" Nyssa asked

"Yeah. That would be best since it's the source of your power and could easily overcome the darkness" Abigail pitched in

"Alright! Let's get this over with so we can put this behind us!" Nyssa said excitedly as she walked a around fifteen meters away from the pedestal where the exposed Lazarus stone was

Nyssa drew her sword out of the sheath on her back and straightened her back as she reached her hand out in front of her wrist.

"You can do it Nys!" Elena cheered

Nyssa smiled at her best friend, then looked back at the stone. She pointed her fingers at the pedestal and took a deep breath before turning her wrist to the left slightly. A trail of dark mist slowly shot out from Nyssa's fingertips and slowly twirled through the air as it made its way to the stone.

When the pure darkness had come close to the stone, it started to circle around in and slowly pill the already existent cracks. When all the cracks had been filled with the dim, black light, the stone seemed to shake slightly and grow just a bit.

Nyssa and the bystanders watched as the stone turned a jet black shade and ancient Arabic writing started to engrave itself on the stone's surface in an amber shade.

Without any warning, the stone let out a loud bang, then all the darkness that was trapped inside shot straight towards Nyssa. On instinct, she twirled her sword and lit it up with as much light as she could. Before the darkness could hit her, she pointed her sword out in front of her. When the darkness made contact with the tip of the blade, it parted to Nyssa's sides, but trapped in something like a tunnel of pitch black. The only thing she could see was her glowing blade protecting her from the effects of the Lazarus Stone's build up.

"Um, Nathaniel, I don't want to question your plan, but is that supposed to be happening?" Elena whispered

"I didn't think it would get this extreme, but I believe she can handle it" Nathaniel started "Look!"

Elena, Abigail, and Zayn's heads all snapped to where Nathaniel was already staring and saw a series of golden streaks start to stain the small tunnel of darkness that Nyssa was 'trapped' in. They slowly started to grow over the darkness.

As soon as the gold had completely covered the black, all the power that had been released from the stone shot straight towards Nyssa. As soon as it touched her, she shot her sword into the air, blade first, and two beams of light shot into the clouds; one black and one gold.

When the two beams made contact with the clouds, a small circle of clear, night sky was revealed along with the several hundreds of silver stars that illuminated the other side of the clouds.

Nyssa was left standing in the middle of the grassy cliff with a smile spreading across her face as she regained her breath from the feat she just performed. Nyssa leaned on her sword for support but ended up dropping to one knee from exhaustion.

"Nyssa! Are you alright?!" Elena called frantically as she raced over to Nyssa's side and wrapped her arm around her friend's

"We…did…it!" Nyssa laughed happily when she had made eye contact

"Yes, but are you alright? That couldn't have been easy" Elena stated as she pulled Nyssa to her feet

"Yeah, just tired is all" Nyssa reassured "I think I'm going to end up taking a plane home. I don't think phoenix travel is a smart idea…like drunk driving almost"

"Smart idea, I can get a plane ready" Elena smiled as she started walking away

"Looks like you did do it!" Zayn exclaimed happily "The stone is back to normal, completely! It's got the gray color with the amber writing and insignia"

"Good, let's get that in a vault before someone can tamper with it" Nyssa instructed, then turned to the two teenagers "Thank you both so much for your help with this. I'll be sure to put in a good word for both of you to help you pass your exams"

"Really!?" Nathaniel asked excitedly, receiving a smile from Nyssa. "Thank you so much! You definitely won't regret it!"

"I can already tell I won't. You both did excellent tonight" Nyssa smiled "And Abigail, you should take a look into water studies for the medical field. We don't know much about it for healing and it would be nice to have someone take a look into it"

"It would be my pleasure!" Abigail smiled "C'mon Nathaniel! We have to tell our parents!"

"Right behind you Abigail!" Nathaniel called, then turned to Nyssa "Thanks for giving us this opportunity! Have a safe flight back home!"

"Thank you!" Nyssa chuckled as she watched the two teen run towards the stair case that lead to the main walkways below them

"So you're heading back to Star City tonight?" Zayn asked

"Yeah, William is actually starting high school tomorrow and I can't miss that" Nyssa smiled "I'm going to go catch my flight. I'll talk to you later Zayn, and thanks for all the help"

"No problem at all. In fact, this was actually kind of fun, getting to switch things up and then adding the thrill of the stone being a ticking time bomb" Zayn chuckled "Anyway, I'll let you get back home. I'm going home to take a loooong nap"

"You do that. I'll see you around" Nyssa said with a wave as she started walking towards the edge of the cliff after sheathing her sword

Nyssa walked across a couple of the wooden bridges until she reached the runway, where a small, ingle pilot plane was waiting for her.

"Good evening Nyssa! Elena said you needed a ride back to Star City. Is that correct?" The pilot asked

"Yes, if you could get me there soon as possible, that would be best" Nyssa replied

"I'll do my best. I believe with this plane, we can shorten the travel time to around ten hours instead of fifteen"

"Great! Should we take off then?"

"I suppose so"

Nyssa was first to board the plane, followed by the pilot. A couple minutes after boarding, the plane slowly made its way across the runway, quickly picking up speed before taking off into the air. After being in the air for around fifteen minutes, Nyssa had already rested her head against the side of the chair and fallen asleep.

-(=+=)-

"Attention single passenger, we will be landing within the next ten minutes" The pilot announced, waking Nyssa up from the peaceful sleep she had been in for the past ten hours or so

By the time Nyssa had adjusted to being awake again, the plane was landing on the old air strip just outside the city. When it was stationary, Nyssa thanked the pilot, then started walking back towards the penthouse.

Soon, Nyssa was jumping across rooftops in the city until she reached the very familiar one that belonged to the apartment complex where the penthouse was. Nyssa stopped running as soon as he feet touched the penthouse rooftop and she started walking towards the edge where the balcony was.

When the balcony was in sight, Nyssa jumped down and landed. She pushed the glass French doors open and walked inside her and Oliver's bedroom. When she entered, she could see Oliver fast asleep on his side of the bed and like he promised, Nyssa's side was open this time.

Nyssa smiled at her beloved as she started taking off her armor. Once she was out of it, she got changed into some more comfortable clothing and crawled into bed next to her beloved

"Glad to see you made it home" Oliver muttered as he slowly opened his eyes and faced his wife

"I keep my promises" Nyssa smiled

"Did everything go alright in Finiks Jurf?"

"Yeah, everything went perfectly. The stone was balanced and that future I saw has been changed"

"That's good to hear" Oliver said as he kissed Nyssa's forehead "But you work too hard"

"No such thing. I just do what's necessary" Nyssa chuckled

"Right, keep telling yourself that" Oliver laughed silently "Night Nys"

"Night husband"

-(=+=)-

The sun was already high in the sky when Oliver's alarm went off, marking six thirty in the morning. As soon as it started going off, Oliver let out an annoyed groan as he kept slapping his hand on the bedside table, trying to find the annoying device.

"I swear, one of these days you're going to put an arrow through that thing" Nyssa chuckled when Oliver finally shut it off

"I think you're right" Oliver chuckled as he picked himself out of bed, then looked down at Nyssa "Are you going to get up too?"

"I'd prefer not to" Nyssa laughed as she sat up "But it's William's first day back at school so that's more important than another hour of sleep"

"Look at you being a real mother"

"Was I not being before?" Nyssa smirked

"No, it's just nice seeing how you've changed over the last four years" Oliver smiled

"Yeah, it's a lot different from when I was in Nanda Parbat"

"Just out of curiosity, do you ever…miss your old home?"

"On occasion I miss the people there who were like family who decided to stay out of the Phoenix League, but life is life and we have to move on at some point" Nyssa replied with a small shrug of her shoulders

"Alright, I can understand that" Oliver started "I'm going to take a quick shower. Can you make sure William's up?"

"Sure, just don't take too long in there" Nyssa laughed as she walked out of the bedroom

Nyssa walked down the hallway of the penthouse until she came to William's bedroom. She gave a small knock on the doorframe before walking into the bedroom. She saw that William was awake, but he was having a hard time getting out of bed.

"Good morning William! Are you ready for your first day back?" Nyssa asked as she walked over to the bedside

"Too early! Why do I need to wake up at six thirty for the next one hundred eighty days?!" William groaned

"Because school starts and eight sharp and you don't want to be late" Nyssa chuckled as she walked over to the covered windows in William's room "I know why you're still tired"

"Really, why's that?" William said as he moved his head out from underneath the pillow to look at his mom.

"You still have your windows covered. A little sunlight in the morning is always good" Nyssa smiled as she opened she blinds, letting the warm, morning light spill into the room

"Dang that's bright" William said as he got out of bed "Are you and Dad going to make breakfast this morning?"

"I don't see why not. Do you have any requests?"

"Waffles or bacon, both are good" William smiled

"Alright, I'll tell him when he gets out of the shower"

"Dad's already up?"

"Yeah, he can't be late getting to the office today. He's got a early meeting or something"

"Okay, well I'm going to get ready to go so neither of us run late!"

"Good idea, I'll meet you in the kitchen" Nyssa said as she walked out of William's room

-(=+=)-

"So what was the final decision on breakfast?" William asked excitedly as he walked into the kitchen after setting his backpack down by his Dad's bag

"Both! We have some extra time so I decided to make both. Hope that's alright with you" Oliver replied

"Perfectly fine by me! I'm making a sandwich out of mine!"

"What is with you two wanting to make sandwiches out of a waffle and bacon?" Nyssa laughed

"It's good! The sweet and the savory together is magical!" William replied

"Really? Last time I tried it I wanted to throw up" Nyssa chuckled "I guess it's a guy thing"

"I suppose it is" Oliver laughed as he set down three plates of waffles and bacon

The three of them all ate the breakfast that had been made and before they knew it, the clock on the microwave read seven thirty.

"Shoot, we're going to be late if we don't hurry up!" Oliver said as he jumped up from his seat and started running around the kitchen trying to clean things up

"Hey, don't worry about it. You and William finish getting ready while I take care of the dishes" Nyssa smiled as she stopped Oliver and took his plate

"You're the best" Oliver smiled as he gave his wife a quick kiss, then ran off to his office to grab a couple files

William ran back to his room to quickly brush his teeth while Nyssa stayed in the kitchen and quickly cleaned up the breakfast mess. Before long, all three of them were near the entry way, each getting ready to leave to their separate 'day jobs'; Oliver to the mayor's office, William to his school, and Nyssa back to Finiks Jurf to check on the stone.

"Alright, do you have everything you need today?" Oliver asked as William finished tying his shoe

"Yeah, I've got it all!" William reassured.

"You guys have to get going before you run late" Nyssa chuckled as she walked over to each of them with her bag of armor in hand

"Well you could just teleport us to each of our desired locations if you really wanted to" William pointed out

"I've told you William, I don't use those powers unless absolutely necessary since I don't want to rely on them too much. I already use them too much to get to Finiks Jurf every morning"

"Hey William, here are the keys to the car. Why don't you head down and get ready to go" Oliver suggested as he handed his son the keys to the car

"Cool! I could drive away if I really wanted to!" William laughed as he walked over to Nyssa. "Bye Mom! See you tonight!"

"See you tonight buddy!" Nyssa smiled as she pulled William into a quick hug

When they let each other go, William rushed out the front door in order to get to the car, leaving Oliver and Nyssa in the penthouse. Oliver was frantically trying to fix his shoelace while Nyssa walked into the middle of the living room to leave for Finiks Jurf.

Nyssa stood in the middle of the room and reached her hand out. Usually, a small flame would appear that would soon take the form of Nuriel, but nothing like that appeared. Nyssa tried the alternative, creating the ring of fire, but still, nothing came. It looked like she was doing a pointless dace routine. Realizing that her flame wasn't working, Nyssa tried to create a small gust of wind to prove that what she was thinking wasn't true, but nothing but a pointless flick of the wrist came from her. Nyssa tried several other small moves incorporating water, earth, light, and even darkness when she got desperate, but in all her attempts, nothing happened.

"Hey, I'm going to meet William out in the car. Are you going to be alright….?" Oliver started as he looking into the living room, but only saw Nyssa staring blankly at her left hand "Nys, is everything alright?"

"I think I stunted my powers last night" Nyssa stated without looking up at Oliver

"Like you can't use them?" Oliver asked as he walked closer "Is there any way to tell if that's what happened?"

Nyssa thought about what Oliver said for a second, then she had an idea. Nyssa reached down to her bag and pulled out her sheathed sword. She put her right hand on the handle while her left was on the dark brown sheath. She quickly whipped the sword out of it's leather covering and looked at the ring of nine diamonds on the handle

"Oh my god…" Nyssa muttered as she looked at the handle

Oliver looked over his wife's shoulder and saw what had sent the look of fear across her face. Each of the nine diamonds on the sword had a jagged, yet defined crack running through it.

"Oh my god is right…" Oliver muttered "What happened last night?"

"Look, I'll explain everything when you get home tonight. Right now, you're running late and William being late on his first day would not make a good impression on the teachers. I'll call Elena and get her help with this. It's probably temporary and it can be fixed easily"

"You're absolutely sure about this?" Oliver questioned, receiving a nod from his beloved wife

"I'll be fine, now go!" Nyssa laughed as she gave Oliver a quick kiss, the ushered him out the front door

"Love you husband!"

"Love you too Nys!" Oliver waved back as he ran down the hallway and towards the elevator

Nyssa watched her husband disappear around the corner, then walked back inside their home. She quickly walked back to the table where she had set her sword down and picked the weapon up. Nyssa looked at the cracked diamonds and the smallest tear formed in her eye before falling down her cheek. She needed to fix this, and soon too.

-(=+=)-

The sun was just starting to set when Oliver and William both walked through the hallway of the apartment complex that led to their home.

"So our teacher asked us to introduce ourselves to the class by saying our name, what middle school we're from, and one cool thing about us" William reported

"Really? And what did you say?" Oliver asked, a but excitedly

"I said that my parents are teaching me hand to hand combat and that it's one of my favorite pass time activities" William replied as he watched his dad unlock the front door to the penthouse

"You flatter us. You're the one learning all this stuff on your own when you and Katara watch us out on the field" Oliver smiled as he and his son walked into the penthouse

When they walked inside, William headed to his room to get his homework done before dinner. Oliver set his bag down in his office, then started walking around the house for his lovely wife. He checked in the living room, the room where the piano had been kept, and even the kitchen but he didn't find anything. The last place left to check was their bedroom, so Oliver wandered in that direction.

Oliver walked into the bedroom and saw Nyssa hunched over at the foot of the bed, staring down into her hands, where she was holding her phone, which looked to be dead.

"Nys? You alright?" Oliver asked as he walked over and sat down next to her "Did you find out what was going on this morning?"

"No!" Nyssa said as she lift her head and looked at Oliver

Oliver could see that there were traces of tears on the side of her face, meaning that she had been crying before hand.

"I've been on the phone with Elena, Nazaria, and even Dakota about this whole mess and they've all been doing their best to help me figure this out, but they didn't find anything in the Finiks Jurf library, Nazaria's ancient scrolls, and even the library belonging to the celestial order!" Nyssa explained quickly

"So, what are you saying…?"

"They think this is permanent! That I stunted my powers for good and that it was a sacrifice to stop the Lazarus stone and that league war that would have happened"

"It can't be permanent" Oliver said reassuringly "Look, how about this weekend, we take a quick trip up to Central City to see Barry and the team? They're experts in everything meta so if there's a problem with stunted powers, I'm sure they can find a way to reverse it"

"You're sure you'd want to go up there with William? Because if you do, then that means he would learn the identity of The Flash and all the rest of the team"

"I can give Barry a heads up, but William's old enough and far beyond responsible enough to finally learn about this"

"Okay…Thank you beloved"

"No problem, I just want to see this all get fixed" Oliver said as he gave Nyssa a gentle kiss on the forehead "I'm going to go call Barry, then start dinner since it's already getting close to seven. Are you going to be alright?"

"Y-yeah, I'll be over there in a few minutes"

Oliver smiled at his wife, then walked over to their bedroom and towards his office. Once he was inside, Oliver quietly closed the door behind him and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He scrolled through the contacts list until he found Barry's name, who he clicked on then waited.

 _"_ _You don't call me unless you need something, not that I don't enjoy talking with you because it's nice and all, but what did you need Oliver?"_ Barry questioned when he picked up

"You're right about that. I need to come up to Central City this weekend with Nyssa and William. Something happened after Nyssa fixed that problem in Finiks Jurf after seeing you guys, and what ever it was, it stunted her powers. She's already talked with the three people who know about her powers the best, and they came up with nothing. If we drop by, can you and your team please lend us a hand?"

 _"_ _Sure thing Oliver. Just stop by whenever you can and Cisco can help her out"_ Barry started _"Did you say you were bring William up here too?"_

"Is that alright?"

 _"_ _Yeah, I just thought you were opposed to him finding out my identity, although I have told you many times that I wouldn't mind if he did find out"_

"Well he's at that age where he is responsible enough to keep your secret. After all, he's kept my secret, along with Nyssa's, private since he found out"

 _"_ _Okay, well like I said, you're more than welcome up here at Star Labs. I've got to go though, my team and I are in the middle of a pizza dinner and game night since we just took down another meta. I'll talk to you later man"_

"Thanks Barry" Oliver said as he hung up

Oliver put his phone back in his pocket, then walked out of the office and into the kitchen where he saw Nyssa standing and waiting for him

"Glad to see you've decided to join me" Oliver smiled as he leaned down and gave Nyssa a kiss

"I love being around you, even in the kitchen where I know I wouldn't be able to survive unless you're by my side" Nyssa chuckled "So what were you thinking for dinner tonight?"

"I have been craving tacos all day today! Why don't we make those?"

"Don't you Americans have some sort of saying like 'Taco Tuesday' or something? It's Monday"

"Yeah, but I'm fine with bending the rules if you are"

"Fine by me, I just really like your cooking"

"Great, let's get started then!"

 **Author's Note: This is kind of off topic, but if you haven't seen my new story 'The Samoan Warrior', I'm here to let you know that it has been released and will be going on an alternating schedule with this story (Life's Ripples).**


	14. Dakota's Secret Project

The next few days went by rather quickly for Oliver and William. Both of them had lots of work to do with William starting all his high school class and Oliver working extremely hard to support the city council with the elections starting in the next few months.

Nyssa's week was a completely different. She had been stuck in Star City during the entire week, trying to figure out how to fix her sword. Elena had been doing some extra digging in Finiks Jurf to try and help Nyssa but she still hadn't found anything. Dakota had also been trying to help, but after he wasn't able to find anything at his base in Isfara, he called Nyssa and told her he would fly out to try and help directly.

Since she had so much free time in Star City, Nyssa had been spending most of her time down in the bunker with Katara. Lenora and Jacob were both finishing their packing so they could move into their new apartment in the city, so they were taking a few days off from the field.

While Katara would work away on random computer things that were way beyond Nyssa's understanding, she would just be working on some things for upcoming extractions for the teams back in Finiks Jurf or go out on the field with the rest of the team. With Elena's help, Nyssa had been able to keep this whole thing on the down low so some uprising didn't take place.

The warm, Thursday morning sun broke through the windows of the master bedroom, but Nyssa didn't give a single care in the world, so she just flipped to the other side so her back was to the window. When she had flipped over, she saw Oliver awake and sitting up while reading a book.

"Morning beautiful" Oliver smiled as he looked down at his wife

"Morning" Nyssa smiled back "Did you wake up earlier so you could finish that book?"

"Yeah, we still have around fifteen minutes until I need to wake William up" Oliver replied "Are you going to stay there for a bit longer?"

"I'm comfortable so I'm not going anywhere"

"Oh really?" Oliver smirked

While Nyssa was still lying on her side, Oliver wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. Soon, Nyssa was snuggled up on Oliver's side.

"Okay, now I'm comfortable and I'm not moving" Nyssa corrected with a small laugh

"Good, because I'm not moving either"

Oliver still had his alarm set so both of them started falling back asleep. Nyssa was only half awake when she was woken by her phone vibrating on her bedside table.

"I'm going to kill whoever's calling this early in the morning" Nyssa groaned as she got up and reached for the phone. She looked at the caller ID, then picked up

"Dakota, you better have a good reason for calling at six in the morning" Nyssa groaned

 _"_ _Is asking you to unlock the balcony doors a good reason to call?"_ Dakota asked

"Uh, why?"

 _"_ _Because I'm on the roof and I need some way to get inside"_

"And why are you on my roof?"

 _"_ _Because I just got into the city from Isfara and I have some good news for you"_

"Okay, one sec"

Nyssa hung up the phone, grabbed her sweater, then walked over to the balcony and unlocked one of the doors. As soon as she stepped outside and looked up, Dakota, who was dressed in his armor, jumped down from the roof and landed at Nyssa's side.

"Hey Sis! Long time no see!" Dakota said as pulled his sister into a hug

"Nice to see you to" Nyssa smiled as she pulled away "So what are you doing here exactly?"

"Well since there wasn't anything I could do to help from Isfara, I came here since I found something that might help out with the whole predicament"

"Really? And what's that?"

"I'm assuming you've heard of the lost library of Alexandria?"

"Yes…?"

"Well, against archeologists best interests, my men and I accidentally stumbled across it last year and we've been going through some of the things in there. The place is so large that you wouldn't be able to see everything in there with almost two lifetimes, but recently, my men confirmed that there is a whole section on supernatural occurrences. There might be something down there that could help"

"No way, you found the library?!" Nyssa asked excitedly

"Yeah, and I think a trip down there may give you some answers"

"You'd take me there so last minute?"

"Sure, I just want to see you back to your normal self"

"Okay, but Oliver, William and I are all going up to Central City this weekend. I'd have to go with you next week"

"Nonsense!" Oliver spoke up as he walked over to the twins "Nyssa, if there's an opportunity to fix this who thing, you should go"

"But what about you and William? I can't just leave you guys for the rest of the week" Nyssa stated

"Don't worry. Before we were dating, William and I were alright. We can go back to that for a day or two" Oliver reminded

"You're sure you want me gone for that long? Possibly missing the Central City trip?"

"If there could be an answer down there, then you should find it. I'll explain the whole thing to William if any questions come up"

"Wait a minute, did you guys even tell William what's going on?" Dakota asked with an eyebrow raised and a small smirk

"We didn't tell him because we don't want to raise an unnecessary panic" Oliver started "At least until we had a definite answer on what was going on"

"That's pretty slick Oliver" Dakota chuckled "So what's William going to say when he sees his uncle in the house, looking like he's about to go out and kill someone?"

"Oh shoot! I've got to go get William up!" Oliver realized as he scurried out of his bedroom and towards William's room

"So the library of Alexandria" Nyssa chuckled "How exactly do you just stumble across something like that because some archeologists are going to be pissed off if they find out that some assassins from Isfara found an ancient library before them"

"I don't know to be honest. We were just walking around near the remains of some old pyramids since that was a safe route to a small village and one of my men got curious and stumbled down a hole of some sort. I sent a few of my other men after him, but they didn't come back up so I went down. When I got down there, I saw what my men were all looking at, which was a ten story, underground, lost library that we were standing right in the middle of"

"And I take it you've been doing your best to protect it from a bunch of dumbasses looking for a thrill?"

"Yeah, in fact, we're building a large, but subtle, fortress around it. Eventually, we're going to move a fourth of our assassins down there"

"Wow, you guys are going hardcore" Nyssa chuckled "Can Elena and I get access?"

"I don't see why not, just don't rat us out to the archeologists in Egypt" Dakota laughed

"Don't worry, my relationship with the government officials in Egypt isn't fantastic so I doubt I could walk in there and just announce that some assassins found an international treasure"

"Thank god William started setting his alarm. He was already in the shower" Oliver said with a sigh of relief as he walked back into the bedroom "So, are you going to Alexandria?"

"I think I am" Nyssa smiled, then turned to Dakota "When can we leave?"

"We can leave within the next hour or so, if that's alright with you" Dakota replied

"Perfect, we can leave at the same time as Oliver and William" Nyssa smiled

"Where should I wait until you two are ready to go?" Dakota pitched in

"The living room is just fine. Don't be surprised if William wanders in and says hello" Nyssa replied

"And what if he asks why I'm here and dressed in this?"

"Just tell him that you're here to help me figure out a new training routine with the assassins back in Finiks Jurf or something"

"Okay then" Dakota said as he started walking out the door "Wait, do I get to stay for breakfast too?"

"Sure, but I think we're going to just end up eating toast or something" Nyssa called back as she walked into the closet to try and find her bag of armor.

Dakota shrugged his shoulders and walked into the living room. The two couches that were set up looked incredibly inviting so he took a seat on one of them. While he was waiting, he found a book set to the side that didn't have a marker in it, so he just started flipping through it. It was written in Greek, so Dakota assumed it was Nyssa's. Upon further inspection, he realized the book was a classic Greek fantasy, which was probably one that Elena recommended.

"Uncle Dakota? What are you doing here?" A teenage voice asked from behind

Dakota turned his head to the side and saw William walking into the room with his backpack thrown over his shoulder. His hair was still a bit wet from the shower, but it wasn't too noticeable.

"Hey William! I just came to see my sis. Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah, but why are you all dressed in your armor? Are you and her planning on going somewhere to stop some crooks?"

"Eventually, yes but I just got here so I still don't know all the details. I bet if you ask her, she'd be willing to tell you" Dakota replied

"Sure, I can tell him" Nyssa smiled as she walked into the room wearing her full set of armor "Your Uncle and I are going to by flying out later this morning to chase down a lead near Egypt. If what he found is true, then we get to beat up so crooks like you said"

"Egypt? That sounds fun!" William said excitedly "Wait, how long are you going to be gone and are you going to miss our trip to Central City?"

"I think we'll be gone today and part of tomorrow, so I'll be back before we leave for Central City"

"Okay then" William said as he set his backpack by the front door "So what's for breakfast?"

"Why don't we take a look because I don't have a clue" Nyssa laughed as she walked into the kitchen with William

Dakota followed the Queens into the kitchen and the three of them started cooking some toast. Oliver came in a little but later, all dressed up in his suit and a very expensive looking tie.

"Is there a special occasion at the office today?" Nyssa asked when she saw Oliver's get up

"Yeah, there's something going on with the ACU. I wasn't given any details but I figured that it must be important" Oliver replied "I see you guys went with toast"

"Yeah, apparently there's none of this type of bread in Isfara so Dakota insisted that we have toast" Nyssa laughed

"Hey, when you're away from this bread for almost a year at a time, you take it when you can get it" Dakota stated after swallowing a bite

While he was still enjoying the piece of toast, Dakota's phone started vibrating. He pulled it out of his pocket and red the message that was displayed on the screen

"I got news for you sis. The plane's ready to go" Dakota said as he got up from his seat "You ready?"

"Um, yeah. I'll meet you on the roof" Nyssa replied

Dakota gave a small smile to his twin, then walked out of the kitchen, but not without taking the piece of toast he was eating. Nyssa got up from her chair and turned to see Oliver and William doing the same.

"Promise you'll be back before we leave for Central City?" William asked

"I promise" Nyssa smiled as she pulled the boy into her arms and gave him a kiss on his forehead "I love you so much, my beautiful boy"

William smiled as he was released from Nyssa's arms. Nyssa turned around and saw Oliver waiting expectantly

"Well look at you all lined up" Nyssa chuckled as she wrapped her arms around Oliver's shoulders and behind his neck. "You're expecting something, aren't you?"

"Maaaybe?" Oliver smirked as he leaned down slightly and gave his beloved wife a kiss "Come home safely, alright?"

"Anything for you beloved" Nyssa smiled as she let go of Oliver's shoulders "See you Saturday"

"Call when you can!" Oliver called as Nyssa started walking towards the bedroom balcony

"Doubt there will be reception in the middle of the desert, but I'll call eventually" Nyssa laughed

As Nyssa disappeared from Oliver's sight, she grabbed the handle of her bow that was held on the side of her hip and extended the limbs. When the bow was fully functional, Nyssa drew a black and gold arrow from her quiver and stepped on the balcony.

"Glad to see you made it up" Dakota said when he saw his sister walking towards him "Ready to go to Alexandria?"

"Sure, let's get going. I'm actually really excited to see this place"

"Good, because I know you'll love it!"

Dakota and Nyssa both put on their hoods, then shot grappling arrows into the distance. With safe passage across the city, the twins quickly made their way to the air strip, where one of the order's planes was waiting.

When they finally arrived at the air strip, Nyssa was actually surprised to see the type of plane that was waiting for them; a Dassault Falcon 900. Surprisingly, it had the order's insignia on the side, right in the open.

"Did you guys mean to make that insignia that bold?" Nyssa asked as they approached the plane

"Yeah. I like it and no one has ever given us trouble for it so we've kept it on for the past few years" Dakota replied as he approached the pilot "One way to Alexandria"

The pilot nodded, then turned around and climbed in the cockpit, followed by the co-pilot. Nyssa and Dakota also followed inside the plane and found two seats that could prove to be comfortable for the twenty hour flight. Soon enough, the private plane was in the air and flying towards Dakota's secret project.

-(=+=)-

It was around eight o'clock when Oliver had finally got home from the office. William was having a sleep over with Jasper and Tom that night so Oliver had some time to just relax.

When he walked through the front door, the first thing he did was pour a glass of scotch to a hard day's work. The fireplace was lit, so Oliver took a seat on the couch with his drink and watched the flames flicker in the dim room.

Despite the relaxing crackling and the sharp taste of the scotch, Oliver was still lonely. Sure, Nyssa and Dakota were in the middle of Alexandria trying to find an answer to the stunt and it was a good thing, but now Oliver was regretting not going with.

After spending another few minutes by the fire, Oliver went back into his office and finished up the workload for the evening so he could walk into the office with everything completed.

By the time he finished, it was around one in the morning. Since he had already done everything necessary, Oliver went to his room and took a quick shower, then went straight to bed. Like always, it felt bigger and lonelier without his beloved with him.

-(=+=)-

Oliver had only been asleep for around four hours when he heard his phone vibrating on his bedside table. He thought it was just part of his dream so he left it be, but around a minute later, it started vibrating again. This time, Oliver reached over, picked up the phone, and read what text that had just been sent.

 _"_ _Just landed in Alexandria"_ Read a next that Nyssa had just sent

Oliver smiled when he read the text and quickly dialed his wife's number. He waited for a few moments before someone picked up.

 _"_ _I thought you would be asleep. Did I wake you up?"_ Nyssa asked when she picked up

"You didn't bother me if that's what you're asking" Oliver chuckled "How was the flight?"

 _"_ _Long, too long. Twenty hours and half of that was spent debating with Dakota on league politics"_

"And the other half?"

 _"_ _Writing in that book Nazaria gave me"_

"That flight does sound long. Where are you going now?"

 _"_ _I have no idea. It's two in the afternoon here and it's blazing out here. Of course, it doesn't help that Dakota and I are both wearing four layers of armor and we don't have any clothes to change into"_ Nyssa groaned _"He mentioned something about camels and I'm not entirely sure where he's going with that"_

"Camels? Like you're going to be riding out into the middle of nowhere on the back of a humped, desert mammal?"

 _"_ _Humped desert mammal? Is that what you Americans are calling them these days?"_ Nyssa laughed _"Speak of the devil, three assassins just came with five camels. Looks like we are riding them"_

"You have to send a picture to William and I. He's at a sleepover with Tom and Jasper, but I think he will love it"

 _"_ _I'll go ahead and do that"_ Nyssa smiled " _I guess I'll call when I'm back in range"_

"Fair deal. Love you, Nys"

 _"_ _Love you too husband"_

"Is everything alright with Oliver and the city?" Dakota asked as he approached his sister when she hung up the phone

"Yeah, just checking in and making sure everything's going alright" Nyssa replied "So are we going to be riding those to the library?"

"Yeah, do you know how to ride a horse?"

"Yeah, I actually have one back in Finiks Jurf"

"Perfect! This is just like riding a horse, but you don't have to steer or anything. One of my assassins will lead the way and from there, the others just follow. All you have to do is sit for the ride"

Dakota led Nyssa over to one of the camels. All of them had saddles on their backs that were decorated with navy blue and gold accents, which were considered league colors. The assassin that was handling the closest camel gave a gentle tug on the reins and the giant mammal lowered itself to it's knees so someone could climb on it's back.

"Just go ahead and make yourself comfortable. The camel will do the rest of the work" Dakota explained

"Okay, but can you do me a favor?"

"Depends"

"Once I'm up on the camel, can you take a picture, then hand my phone back? Oliver and William want proof that I'm doing something cool"

"Sure, I'm great with photos" Dakota laughed "Now get on the camel!"

Nyssa handed Dakota her phone, then climbed on the back of the camel. It felt strange at first, but once the camel was off of its knees and standing straight up, all the awkwardness seemed to fade away. Dakota stepped back a few feet, near the other camels, and flipped Nyssa's camera so he could take something like a selfie.

Dakota positioned himself so it looked like he was the main focus while Nyssa was more of a background while on top of the camel.

"Okay! On the count of three!" Dakota laughed as he gave a big smile to the camera

Dakota couldn't see it coming, but one of the camels that was being held to the side was coming closer to the shot. As soon as Dakota hit two, the camel's snout was in the shot and when he took the picture, the camel had its tongue running against the side of Dakota's face, giving him a sloppy kiss.

"Oh my god! That felt nasty!" Dakota groaned as he pushed the camel away "I hope that's a good photo because if that's not, then I don't know what is"

Nyssa took her phone from Dakota and looked at the picture. In the background, Nyssa was sitting on her camel and looked like she was dying of laughter while Dakota was in the front and looked a bit cross-eyed as a camel tongue dragged across the side of his face.

Nyssa was trying to hold back a laugh as she sent the picture to her two boys with the caption 'Just down here in Alexandria riding camels with Dakota. Hope this is what you meant by fun William'.

"Alright! Everything's all set and ready to go! Shall we head to the library?" Dakota asked as he rode a camel to Nyssa's side

"Yeah, let's get going before another camel gives you a nice, big lick" Nyssa laughed "Did you get that slime wiped off your face?"

"Thankfully, yes. Someone offered me some water and a piece of cloth or something. I have never been more excited to wash the side of my face before" Dakota said as they started riding into the sandy desert

"So how long of a ride is it until we get to the library?"

"Usually, it's taken us anywhere from four to seven hours. It really depends on the weather. Based on what we have now, I'm guessing around five and a half at best since it's going to be getting dark soon"

"Let the fun unfold! How hot is it out here?!"

"Uuhh, I think it's around ninety seven right now"

"Kill me now! I'm not a hot weather person!" Nyssa groaned "I grew up in the Tibetan mountains, not Tajikistan like you did!"

"Pfft, you'll get used to it eventually" Dakota laughed

"You better pray on your life that I do, or else you are going to be one miserable man" Nyssa teased

-(=+=)-

Several sand and sweat filled hours later, the fleet of five camels and their riders rode over another sand dune. When they got to the top, Nyssa looked over her camel's head and saw a two story sandstone building in the middle of the desert. There was something like a courtyard around it, making it look nicer in general.

"Alright! We're here!" Dakota announced

"And the library is underneath our feet?" Nyssa asked

"Yeah, we just pass the camels back to these guys and head on down"

"And how exactly do you get down there?"

"Uhh, there are….several different ways, none of them involving stairs of sorts"

"This ought to be interesting"

Nyssa and Dakota's camels each knelt down to the sand ground and let their riders off. Since both twins had riding experience, they were each able to get back to walking normally. Dakota led Nyssa into the building, where he was greeted by several of his assassins. One of them greeted Dakota in the Tajiki language, then led him and Nyssa down a hallway to a huge, metal door that looked like it could withstand a nuke. Dakota went over to a keypad and typed in an incredibly long code, then a small click sounded from the door.

"Alright! Are you ready to see the lost library of Alexandria?" Dakota asked excitedly?"

"Yeah, let's go for it!" Nyssa said excitedly

The two assassins that were standing guard at the doors each pulled one back, revealing a large, supported hole in the ground. Hanging from the ceiling, there was a metal ring held in place that looked like it could hold a few hundred pounds.

"So to avoid damaging the library, we created a way of getting down that involves using a harness but the problem is that we only have one, so we'll have to go down together. I'll wear the harness and if you're cool with hold on to my shoulder or something, it could really speed things up" Dakota explained as he was handed the harness and some cable

"Whatever will get us down there faster is fine with me. I'm just excited to see this place" Nyssa replied

Dakota finished putting on the harness, then the cable was secured in place with a pulley system. Soon, the older twin was standing at the edge of the hole with the harness on, looking like he was ready to jump. Nyssa walked over to his left side and wrapped her right arm around her brother's shoulder. To give a little extra support, Dakota wrapped his left arm around Nyssa's waist so she wouldn't fall down ten stories while they were descending.

"Are you ready?" Dakota asked with a smirk

"Sure, just don't drop me or I'll be really pissed" Nyssa warned

Dakota let out a little laugh as he let his toes slip over the edge, bringing him and Nyssa down into the hole. The assassin on the main floor of the building slowly lowered them down into the dark and narrow hole. It got pitch black for a minute and the air started to get really hot, but soon enough, they emerged from the hole and the twins could start to see the light that was being used to illuminate the library.

The library was ten stories, as Nyssa counted on their way down. They were being lowered towards the center of the library, which had a couple pools of water for decoration that kind of looked like the pools in Finiks Jurf. Around the perimeter the center was where the different stories of the library started. Each had an area that looked like a long, stretched out balcony before the endless shelves of books started. There weren't any bridges going across the center, which made the whole place look nicer and more natural.

After around four minutes of slowly descending, both Dakota and Nyssa's feet touched the sandstone ground. Dakota let go of Nyssa, then undid his harness. He let it hang freely, then gave two quick and forceful tugs to the cable. As soon as he let go, the cable and harness started retracting back up into the air.

"Welcome to the lost library of Alexandria, sis!" Dakota said excitedly

"It's absolutely stunning, but how is this place so….bright? We're underground and it should be pitch dark, should it not?"

"It should, but some of our own scientists made some types of lamp that provide a very natural light that was intended to use for farming in Isfara when the weather turned to crap, but they also work really well in here for lightening the place up"

"Well it makes the whole place look like a beautiful garden" Nyssa commented "So where do we start?"

"Ah! Follow me, my good twin!" Dakota teased as he led Nyssa down a pathway through some shelves.

The two of them took some turns down corridors, hallways, and through some shelves until they reached a large rook, which was separated from the rest.

"This room contains all the books concerning supernatural occurrences, powers, gods and their legends, and other mythical things. If we're going to find something, it will be in here" Dakota started "In fact, let me start up here"

There was a ladder leaning up against one of the shelves, so Dakota climbed up it and started reading the spines. Soon, he was passing down several books to Nyssa and then, to speed up the pace, Dakota started tossing them down without looking. Nyssa was doing just fine with catching them at first, until Dakota sped it up. She had to start running after the books before they touched the ground, almost like a game. A couple of times, they dropped on her foot and on her head, but it didn't stop her from picking them up and moving to the next ones.

"Alright, I think we should stop there" Dakota said as he looked down to see his sister standing by a stack of around thirty books

"You think?" Nyssa questioned with a laugh

Dakota smiled as he took half the stack from her and sat up against the shelf with her. The two of them started reading through the pages and if Nyssa or him found anything useful, they had brought down large notebooks record all the information inside of.

They had been working for the past four hours before tiredness started to come over both of them. Dakota was the first to fall asleep, with his head against the shelf and his book still open in his lap. Nyssa followed shortly after, but decided to at least get comfortable. Nyssa marked her spot in the book she was reading, then moved to lay out on her back.

When she was comfortable, Nyssa had a great view of the high ceilings above her, as well as the thousands of books that lined the shelves in that one room alone.

"This is going to be some task…" Nyssa muttered as she followed in Dakota's footsteps and drifted to sleep.


	15. The Golden Fires Of Redemption

When Nyssa woke up, she was still in the library which surprised her in a way because she thought this was all some crazy dream. Finding the lost library of Alexandria, losing the powers that created the phoenix league, and going on a crazy mission to try and get them back all seemed like something that would make an interesting dream, but this was reality.

Nyssa was still on her back when she woke up, so she turned her head to the side and saw that Dakota was still sleeping. Nyssa took a quick glance at her phone screen and saw that she had only been asleep for about an hour and a half, which meant she still had plenty of time to find something here before they had to leave for Starling City.

After picking up her notebook and a charcoal pencil from the ground, Nyssa started walking down the endless rows of bookshelves in the supernatural section of the library. None of the books looked uniform once she got into a certain area, which gave Nyssa the smallest feeling of hope.

She kept on walking until she reached another room that broke off from the others. Above the door, there were some hieroglyphics but since Nyssa wasn't strong in that ancient language, she just walked inside and hoped to find a common theme in the books once she started reading.

The room was very poorly lit and there was only a bit of light breaking in through the other room. Nyssa ran her hand along one of the shelves as she read the spines of the books, trying to find one that might help her out. Eventually, she stumbled across a book called _Hidden Supernatural Artifacts and Their Properties_ , except it was written in an ancient form of Arabic, which was quite similar to the modern one. Nyssa took the book off the shelf and sat down against the wall with it. Since she couldn't read the writing in the dark, Nyssa pulled a couple matches out of her pocket and struck one against the stone wall, making the tip light up in a small, orange flame.

Nyssa held the small light above the pages she was reading and found that she could barely see anything still. She set the old book down beside her, then pulled her notebook over on her lap. Nyssa tore out four of the pieces of paper and crumbled them into large balls. After setting those pieces of paper around her, Nyssa took the small match and held it up to each one until a small fire had started. The ground was made out of an old sandstone, so Nyssa didn't have to worry about the flames spreading.

Since she finally had enough light to see, Nyssa started to read over the pages. The artifacts that were mentioned were arranged by the date they were created, so Nyssa flipped the pages until she found the area marked 2000 B.C. After flipping through that section, she found the part based on the _Sayf Min Al'akwan._ According to the book, the nine blades were created in 2108 B.C and they weren't hidden until 2264 B.C after conflict rose within the league. The section also contained information on the nine blacksmiths and crafters that created the swords, the significance of the hiding places, and the how they gave each sword it's power.

The whole thing was incredibly interesting and Nyssa decided to bother Dakota later on and ask if she can keep the book, which was probably not going to happen. The part that Nyssa most enjoyed reading about was how the creators planned on creating the Sword of Universes, especially when they couldn't see it. Apparently, there was a large ritual involved where they actually made the sword of universes, created it's power, and then broke the one sword into nine separate, powered pieces. When the sword split itself into the nine pieces, the other swords received their individual power.

Nyssa neared the end of the section, but it never mentioned anything about stunting the powers or getting them back, or even losing them permanently. When she finished reading the chapter, Nyssa shut the book and looked through all the notes she had taken during the trip; absolutely nothing useful was in the twenty or so pages. Nyssa picked the book up again and started flipping through the pages, thinking that there may be some other artifact that might be able to help her because at this point, she was willing to track down a genie to get some answers.

While she was flipping through the pages, Nyssa heard a small clink on the ground and looked to the source of the noise. A small, rusty key had fallen out of the pages and slipped right past Nyssa's view. She picked up the key and looked at it more closely. There was some ancient Arabic writing that Nyssa couldn't quite make out over all the rust that had formed over it. She set the key to the side and kept looking through the pages to try and find if there was a mention on what the key was for, but she wasn't finding anything until another key, identical to the other, dropped out of the book.

This continued until four keys had fallen out of the book. Nyssa laid each one of them side by side in the order they fell out to try and find a pattern. When they were all lined up, the rusted, Arabic engraving seemed to become clearer. _Start north and move clockwise until you find the stone hawk_ was what the writing translated into.

Stone Hawk? What the hell was that supposed to mean and where was she supposed to start north. Nyssa moved her right arm out in front of her and flipped up a small piece of brown leather, revealing a small compass. She stood up from where she was sitting against the wall and started moving until the compass' had pointed north. Nyssa looked up and saw that she was facing a blank, stone wall in the small room she was in. Nyssa picked up the book, notebook, charcoal pencil, and keys she had found, then walked over to the wall in case there was something over there. She left the four pieces of paper keep burning, to provide some light.

Nyssa approached the wall and ran her hand across the seemingly smooth wall. It felt like nothing was there at first, but in the dark, Nyssa could feel something that felt like a compass rose, but where the letters 'N, E, S, W' would be, there were four key holes. Nyssa assumed this is where the four keys were supposed to go, but where was the hawk?

To try and take this one step at a time, Nyssa just put the keys into the key holes, starting with the first one at North, then moving clockwise from there. When all the keys had been inserted and turned, a small click was heard on the other side of the stone wall. Nyssa watched in awe as the stone wall where the four keys were cracked and started moving towards the left, revealing a pitch, black area behind. Nyssa peaked her head into the darkness, but found that she couldn't see anything, so she went back over to the area where she was sitting and picked up one of the pieces of burning paper. Nyssa was able to grab it by an already burned corner and carried it over to the opening in the wall.

Once she got there, Nyssa held the burning paper in front of her and walked into the opening. Nyssa could feel ground underneath her, but it had a rougher feel, like it was more of an untouched stone instead of polished sandstone. Nyssa noticed that the ground was starting to end when she got around five feet into the opening. She looked down to where the ground ended and saw that it led down into a deep, and incredibly dark abyss.

Nyssa wasn't sure how deep it was, so she grabbed a piece of loose stone off the wall and tossed it down. Nyssa waited for about eight seconds before she heard the soft echo of the stone hitting the floor. Curiosity got the best of her and Nyssa set the piece of paper down on the ground. She drew a grappling arrow from her quiver and took her collapsed bow off her belt. She extended the limbs, then shot the arrow into the ground and let the cable tumble down the side of the cliff and into the abyss.

Once she was sure the arrow was secure, Nyssa slipped down the cable and slowly started sliding down towards the bottom. As she got deeper and deeper, Nyssa could feel the air around her getting warmer and sweat beading up on her forehead, as if a brilliant fire was burning at the bottom. Despite the heat, Nyssa kept on going.

After around ten minutes of descending, Nyssa finally felt her feet touch the ground underneath her. At this point, Nyssa could feel her entire forehead covered in sweat, so she quickly drug her arm over her head to wipe it away.

Nyssa couldn't see anything down where she was at, only darkness. The one thing she could see was in the far distance, which was a faint, orange light. Nyssa felt an attraction to the light, almost like it was pulling her forward, so she carefully started walking over to the light and soon found herself in a lit hallway. It seemed to extend for miles, so Nyssa went ahead and started walking.

Little to leader of the phoenix league, when she was descending the cable to get down into the abyss, the secret wall in the door had closed when one of the keys fell loose.

-(=+=)-

Dakota woke up from his long nap and found that his twin had already left. Whether she had ever fallen asleep or not was beyond him, but he was curious to find out where she had run off to. Dakota started looking around the supernatural section of the library and didn't see anything.

Because his twin was interested in other things besides supernatural occurrences, Dakota started looking around the entire first floor of the library. He looked in the sciences, languages, history, even fantasy but didn't find anything. The other things Nyssa would wander off to go read would be the genres on the sixth level, but she wouldn't have been able to get up there, much less the second floor, without using the harness. Dakota knew that she hadn't used the harness since she didn't take the walkie talkie that was sitting next to Dakota while he was sleeping. He knew that Nyssa had to be on the first floor somewhere, so he went ahead and kept looking.

Dakota had been searching for a total of two hours, and still hadn't found anything, which was making him kind of worried. He was looking in the history section when his walkie talkie started going off.

"Menae, a man by the name of Oliver Queen has called the base. He wishes to speak with his wife up on the surface" A member of the order said

"This is Menae" Dakota started "I would happily deliver Nyssa back up to the surface, but she's lost in the library. I have been searching for the past two hours and I still haven't found anything"

"Would you like me to tell that to Mr. Queen, then send down a search party?"

"No, send the harness down and let me get up there to tell Oliver. Do send down a search team though. We need to find her quickly" Dakota replied

Dakota put the walkie talkie back on his belt, then started walking to the center of the library, where he could see the harness being lowered. Dakota walked over to it and put it on, then gave the cable three tugs. He started rising off the ground and was soon pulled back up to the surface and into the small room where the hole was.

As soon as he was free from the harness and cable, Dakota quickly walked over to the communications room, where an assassin handed him a headset

"Hello? Oliver?" Dakota asked when he had the headset on

"Dakota? Is that you?" Oliver questioned "Where's Nyssa? Why isn't she back in the city yet?"

"Yeah, funny story about that" Dakota started with a small laugh "I have absolutely no idea. I just came up from the library after looking for her and she's nowhere, and I mean nowhere to be found. I sent down a search party already so they're looking for her as we speak"

"Well she doesn't just disappear without a reason" Oliver started "She probably got caught up in a book somewhere, as she does in the bunker sometimes"

"Good to know. As soon as we find her, we're going to be heading back to Star City so we can make it back in time for you guys to leave for Central City"

"Don't bother. The deadline for leaving has already passed, which is why I'm calling in the first place. Nyssa told me to call this number if it was an absolute emergency"

"She wasn't wrong, and thanks for calling. If you want, I can send a plane back to Star City to pick up you and William. Seeing the library may end up being a better vacation than meeting Barry Allen"

"How did you know about the flash's identity?"

"I run an order of highly skilled and intellectually advanced assassins. We've known for a while"

"Fair enough, but don't send a plane. A teleporting meta human owes me a favor"

"Suit yourself, I can send you coordinates for the base if you need it"

"Go ahead and do that just in case. We'll be there soon"

Dakota ended the call, then sent the coordinates to Oliver. Dakota was still working upstairs when he felt a cold breeze blow through the room and a watery looking portal appear. From the portal, two figures jumped out; Oliver and William.

"Damn that's cool! What is that exactly?!" Dakota asked in awe

"Cisco Ramon. He can create breaches that can take us from place to place. I did him a favor as mayor and he owed me a favor, so I thought now was a good time to redeem it" Oliver started "So first, we find my wife and then we explore the library"

"Sounds good to me" Dakota said, then turned to William "How you doing buddy?"

"Really good! I can't wait to see this place, no offense to the flash or anything, but a lost library that archeologists haven't even found is so much cooler!" William stated confidently

"I like him, a lot" Dakota chuckled "Alright, follow me and I'll take you to the magic rabbit hole that drops straight down into the library"

Oliver and William both agreed, then followed Dakota into the hallway. On their way to the room, they were pushed aside by two assassins carrying a bunch of stuff that looked like climbing gear.

"What's going on? Why do you have those?" Dakota shouted to the assassins

"My apologies Menae, but the search party believes they found your sister. There was a secret room or something that we found by the supernatural section. Outside the door, there were some freshly burnt pieces of paper and old keys that opened the door. There is a cliff beyond the door that drops straight down into an abyss and a grappling arrow was found dangling on the side of the cliff" The assassin explained quickly

"Take us there immediately!" Dakota demanded

The assassin nodded his head in reply, then led Dakota, William, and Oliver all down into the library. The library was beautiful, but Oliver was more focused on Nyssa than anything else. A secret abyss? What else could this library hold it there's an abyss in here?

-(=+=)-

Nyssa had been walking down the lit hallway for around thirty minutes when she reached the end of the path. The torches started to break away from the wall and form a circle, lighting up a giant, circular room. Nyssa walked into the room and what she saw amazed her.

The walls were covered in hieroglyphics, but in the middle of the room, nine pedestals were arranged in a circle with a bigger one in the middle. In each of the surrounding pedestals, a sword stood that was oddly familiar to Nyssa. She quickly realized that each sword in one of these pedestals was one of the swords she collected to create the sword that brought the league together.

Nyssa approached the middle of the circle and noticed that something was off. The diamond circle wasn't there and instead, it had a pedestal that looked like it would fit Nyssa's sword perfectly. In addition to the pedestal looking perfect for her sword, Nyssa just felt naturally pulled towards it.

Figuring it would be a shame to come this far without investigating, Nyssa approached the center pedestal. She drew her sword out of the sheath on her back and looked at it, then the pedestal once more before putting the sword in.

As soon as the blade was placed in the pedestal, the nine other swords burst into a golden flame. The pedestals they were in also burst into the golden flame that was unlike anything Nyssa had seen before. The nine golden fires all started to move in a slow circle around Nyssa and her sword, which was still in the pedestal.

As they circled, Nyssa could feel the room getting hotter and hotter, like she was trapped in some type of fire and couldn't escape it.

The nine golden fires were still slowly moving around Nyssa and the sword, but started closing in. One by one, the flames split into two and flew straight towards Nyssa. Each time, one part of the golden fire would hit Nyssa while the other hit her sword. Each time, the fire got brighter and soon, the room was completely filled with the glowing, golden shade. Nyssa didn't even realize when the last flame had disappeared, only noticed when the glow started to fade from the room.

As the light faded, Nyssa could see that the nine swords and pedestals had disappeared completely, only leaving the center pedestal, where her sword was. Nyssa looked over at the sword and what she saw made her heart leap with happiness. The nine diamonds in the ring had fixed themselves and there was no longer a crack through them.

Nyssa reached for the dark brown handle of her sword and as soon as she grabbed it, a small, golden light shot out from the blade and collided with Nyssa's black and gold armor. She looked down and watched as the light broke off into several small bits and danced right over the golden trim. When it disappeared completely, Nyssa saw that where the golden trim on her armor was now had a bunch of golden swirl designs right above it, making it almost look like the gold was on fire.

As soon as the light had disappeared, Nyssa pulled her sword from the pedestal. As soon as it was freed, Nyssa gave the blade a quick twirl and watched as an orange fire shot across the blade, just like it did before the whole balancing ceremony. The true test had yet to take place, so Nyssa reached out her left hand and watched as her ability to start a fire in her hand returned.

Nyssa smiled fondly at the fire and felt her heart leap with overwhelming joy. She had fixed the sword and restored it's power, but now she was wondering how the swords got here in the first place. Instead of staying down in the abyss to figure it out, Nyssa started walking back towards the entrance so she could get back to Dakota.

Before continuing down the hallway, Nyssa gave her sword a quick twirl, but this time instead of the fire being a brilliant orange, the flames were a bright blue shade; the hottest fire. It provided much more light than the orange flame, so it would be good for making the long walk back

As Nyssa walked down the hallway, she could feel an overwhelming heat that was like the one she just experienced with the golden fire, but worse. Nyssa didn't know where it was from or why it was happening, but she could feel her head throbbing. It had been like this for the past hour she had been down there, but Nyssa didn't think anything of it, as the whole tunnel system was blazing hot. She could tell she was about to pass out, but she knew she had to keep going, or else no one would know where she was.

Nyssa kept fighting the urge to just collapse, but it soon became too much to handle. Nyssa barley had a second to register what happened next. All she could remember was stumbling down to the ground and her vision going black

-(=+=)-

Dakota, Oliver, and William all ran close behind the two assassins with the climbing gear. They rounded several corner and passed through several different sections of books until they reached the off room with more supernatural books.

When they got in there, Oliver and Dakota both looked in awe at the giant, stone slab that acted as a door. Beyond the door, they could see a once pitch black area that was now being lit by several LED lights from the climbing gear.

"So let me get this straight, Nyssa found a secret tunnel in this lost library and now she's stuck down there" Oliver said in an attempt to clear up the confusion

"She was never stuck down there apparently, but we should still see if she's down there" Dakota started as he walked over to the assassins who were finishing setting up the climbing gear "I'm going down there to find her. The rest of you stay up here in case something happens"

"No, I'm coming too!" Oliver insisted, then turned to William "Can you stay up here without getting into trouble?"

"I'm a teenager, not a kid. I'll be fine" William replied as he stepped out of the way

"You coming or not?" Dakota asked from the entrance of the hidden cave

Oliver smiled back at William, then walked over to Dakota, who handed him something like a harness. Oliver slipped it on easily after taking off his jacket, then received a flash light that he put in his back pocket. Dakota got a small com that he put in his ear, then the two guys hooked their harnesses up to the cables. They were slowly lowered down into the dark abyss and around five minutes later, their feet touched the rough and hot stone floor.

"Alright, let's go that way since it's the only other way to go" Dakota suggested as he pointed to a somewhat lit tunnel after turning on his flashlight

Oliver nodded, then led the way down the hallway. It was a couple miles long and lit with several torches. How they were lit, Oliver had no idea, but he was happy to see that there was some light. It couldn't go unnoticed that the entire underground area they were in was blazing hot, like they were being cooked alive.

The two of them kept on walking until they saw a figure, lying on the ground in the distance and not moving. Beside them was a long, light blue flame that flickered in the warm torch light. Oliver's eyes got large when he saw the figure because he was quickly able to identify it as Nyssa. He ran over without any hesitation and as soon as he was near her, he slid to his knees so he was at her side.

Nyssa was still lying on her side with her arms lying limply to the side. Oliver reached for her hand but as soon as he touched it, but he quickly pulled away from how hot it was. He reached back and took Nyssa's wrist and found that her heart was racing.

"Her heart is racing and she's extremely over heated. You've got more experience with heat exhaustion so can you tell me anything at all?" Oliver asked Dakota, who was now kneeling next to him.

Dakota reached his hand forward and placed it on his sister's forehead. It was hot, just like her hand but there wasn't any sweat

"She had a heat stroke" Dakota announced "She's got to be up at 107 by now so we need to get her back up before she gets any higher"

Dakota stepped to the side and turned on his com. While he was giving a quick report, Oliver turned Nyssa so she was on her back. Oliver waited for a minute before Dakota came back

"My assassins are preparing something up in the base so we should get moving. Can you lift her?" Dakota asked

Oliver gave a small nod, but before he picked up his wife, he quickly took her quiver and sword sheath off. Once those were off, he reached over and grabbed the sword with a flaming, blue blade and gave it a quick twirl. Oliver guessed that the sword 'trusted' him because the flame went out quickly. Oliver took Nyssa's sheath and slid the sword inside of it, then handed the quiver and sheath to Dakota, who took it willingly.

Oliver carefully picked Nyssa up in his arms bridal style and held her head close to his chest. Dakota and Oliver quickly made their way back to the cliff, where two cables were waiting for them. Since Oliver was holding Nyssa, Dakota took Oliver's cable and hooked him up, then gave the cable three quick tugs. Oliver was quickly pulled up to the top of the cliff and once an assassin took off the cable from his harness, they quickly ran with him towards the center of the library.

William watched from the side as his Dad ran out of the room with his Mom in his arms. He had absolutely no idea what was going on, then saw Dakota rush out of the cliff opening.

"Uncle Dakota! What's going on?!" William cried out as he ran to his uncle

"There's no reason for lying William. Your Mom lost her powers last week and we've been trying to get them back ever since. She got them back while she was down there, but had a heat stroke as a result. Your Dad is rushing her back upstairs where some of my assassins are waiting to help her" Dakota started "Why don't you come up with me?"

William gave a small nod, then followed Dakota to the center of the library where they could get back up.

Oliver followed an assassin through the hallways of the base until they reached a small med bay where two more assassins were waiting. They pointed to a small cot that was set up on the side of the room so Oliver walked over there and laid Nyssa down.

"I need you to lift her head and help her drink this" The assassin said as he handed Oliver a small cup.

Oliver took the cup from the assassin, who appeared to be a doctor of sorts, and noticed that the outside was incredibly cold. Trying not to question it, Oliver lifted Nyssa's head and brought the cup to her lips. He slowly emptied the contents of the cup and once it was emptied, Nyssa started coughing lightly.

"What was in that?" Oliver asked as he turned back to the assassin

"Best I not tell you" The assassin replied as he walked back towards the cot and put some pillows behind Nyssa so she wouldn't be lying down flat. "She should be waking up soon if that antidote works"

"Thank you" Oliver said as he turned back and looked at Nyssa

It wasn't even a minute later before Dakota and William walked into the room. William immediately ran over to his father's side and threw his arms around him.

"I was so worried!" William said into Oliver's shoulder, then pulled away and looked at his mom "Is Mom going to be okay?"

"She should be. She just got overheated in that abyss after being down there for so long" Oliver explained

"Dakota said she lost her powers last week. Is that true?"

"Unfortunately, yeah. She came here to find some answers and I guess she fixed it instead" Oliver smiled as he looked back at Nyssa and took her hand into his own

"I could never tell. I guess she's really good at hiding things like that"

"Yeah, she's got practice" Oliver chuckled "Why don't you pull up that chair over there so you don't have to stand"

William walked over to the side of the room and dragged a chair over, then sat right next to his father. Oliver smiled at his son and took the boy's hand in his other hand, so Oliver was holding onto both Nyssa and William's hand

"I'm really glad you're here" Oliver smiled

"I'm glad you agreed to bring me here. This place is pretty cool" William chuckled

Nyssa could hear the sound of a conversation at her side and as she opened her eyes, she could see the two people she loved the most next to her.

"O-Oliver…" Nyssa whispered

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Oliver asked as he and William both turned towards her

"Like I never want to get near another pedestal….." Nyssa laughed quietly "How long have I been out?"

"Depends on how long you were down there. There was no way for us to tell" Oliver started "So were you able to find out what was going on with the power stunt?"

"Yeah…there were ten pedestals like Finiks Jurf….they gave me and the sword the powers back" Nyssa started "Speaking of, what did you do with my sword?"

"I've got it right here" Dakota said as he walked over and set the weapon on the wall next to the cot "Good to see you're alright sis"

"Thanks" Nyssa smiled "Is it just me or is it really hot in here?"

"It's just you, as a side effect of the dying fever" Oliver explained as he leaned over and kissed Nyssa's forehead "It'll pass soon, but you should just rest for now"

"Alright" Nyssa replied, then looked over at William "Thanks for being here buddy"

"No problem Mom" William smiled

Dakota had to go back to the main control room and sort out a few things, so he left the Queens together. William wandered off to find the bathroom, so Oliver just stayed with Nyssa and watched her sleep.

When she woke up again several hours later, the assassin who had given her that antidote made sure her fever was gone before letting her get up. Since it was gone, Nyssa was more than willing to get back to Star City.

Oliver had called Barry earlier and explained the whole situation, but still asked if they would be able to come up and see the lab with William. Barry was thrilled when he accepted! He really wanted to show the son of the Green Arrow how Team Flash did things and why they were so much 'better' than the team in Star City.

Dakota had offered to give the family a plane back to Star City, but Nyssa insisted that she take them. After all, it had been awhile since she saw Nuriel and she was dying to get back into her old ways of travel. Dakota agreed to her plan, so he led them outside where he was confident that something wouldn't get burned down.

It was the middle of the morning where they were, which meant that it was around eight or nine in the evening back in Star City.

"Thank you, for everything Dakota" Nyssa smiled as she pulled her brother into a hug

It's not a problem at all. I'm glad I could help" Dakota smiled as he returned his sister's hug

When they pulled away, Nyssa walked back over to Oliver and William and reached her hand out in front of her. The flame escaped her hand and she watched as it took the form of a brilliant phoenix. Nuriel looked down at the family of three, then started circling around like she normally did.

When the rush of warm air passed with the blinding light, the family found themselves in the middle of the living room of the penthouse. Oliver glanced over at a clock and saw that it was around nine o'clock at night.

"We should all get to bed since we'll be leaving for Central City in the morning" Oliver stated "William, why don't you go get ready for bed. I'll be there in a moment"

William did as he was asked and walked back to his bedroom. Nyssa and Oliver both walked to their own bedroom and got changed. Oliver got changed into some loose shorts and a tee shirt while Nyssa chose her sweats and a tank top.

When Oliver came back from saying goodnight to William, he saw Nyssa sitting on her side of the bed, reading one of the books she had taken from the library

"Whatcha reading?" Oliver asked curiously as he sat down next to her on the bed

"Found this in the library. It's about a bunch of supernatural and hidden artifacts. One of them was the sword so I thought there might be some more interesting things in here" Nyssa started "Who knows, maybe there's a weapon in here that Elena would want to go after"

"I think she would enjoy that" Oliver smiled "So do you need to go back to Finiks Jurf soon?"

"Yeah, I was thinking about going after the Central City trip" Nyssa started with a small yawn "I'm calling it a night, but I don't care what you do"

Nyssa set the book down on the side table, then crawled underneath the covers that she was just sitting on. Oliver decided to do the same and he curled up with his wife. For some reason, Oliver liked to rest his head in the crook of Nyssa's neck, so that's how he positioned himself. The two lovers were able to quickly fall asleep after becoming comfortable in each other's company

 **Author's Note: I apologize to those of you who were expecting an update on 'The Samoan Warrior' but I ran into a little road block with the plot and I've been trying to sort it out. I expect it to be coming out around this time tomorrow, so again, sorry about that, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	16. A Trip To Central City

Like a typical morning in Starling, Nyssa woke up to the sun breaking through their windows. Why they didn't have some type of curtain by now, Nyssa had no clue. She flipped over to face the other side of the bedroom and saw that Oliver was still asleep, so Nyssa just made herself comfortable and went back to sleep.

William woke up to his alarm going off on his phone. Instead of groaning to stop it, the young teenager sprang out of bed, quickly got dressed and ready to go, then ran to his parents' bedroom. When he walked inside, he saw that both his mom and dad were still asleep. He walked over to the left side of the bed where his dad was sleeping and started shaking him awake.

"Dad! Dad, get up! We have to get going so we're not late!" William shouted in a whisper

"William, the train doesn't leave until ten….besides, Mom offered to take us if need be" Oliver groaned

"Well it's nine fifteen soooo….." William said as he started walking out of the room "C'mon! We can't be late for meeting the flash!"

"Nys, are you up?" Oliver groaned as he sat up and looked down at his wife

"Nope, I'm dead…leave me!" Nyssa said as she hid her head underneath the blanket

"Dang, not again" Oliver chuckled

"I thought we agreed you wouldn't use that against me again" Nyssa asked as she sat up and turned towards Oliver "In the bunker when I first came back"

"It's all in good fun, but I'll stop if you're not comfortable talking about it"

"Thank you"

Nyssa and Oliver both climbed out of bed and got ready for the day. Since they were just going to Star Labs, both of them just got dressed in jeans while Nyssa decided to wear her combat boots with hers. While Nyssa was throwing on her jacket, the phone in her pocket started to vibrate

 _'_ _Need help in safe house ASAP'_ Was what the text from Lenora read

Nyssa put the phone back into her pocket and wandered around the house to find Oliver. She ended up finding him and William both in the 'piano room' as they deemed it, trying to figure out how to play heart and soul together

"I think we start here" Oliver said as he tapped the B key

"I think it's supposed to start here in the D key while I'm on the A key" William replied as he tapped on both keys

"You're both wrong" Nyssa smirked as she stood behind the two "Oliver, you're going to start in an 5th C cord right here. William, you're up here and starting on C as well, then just moving up and down from there"

"Are you here to watch us fail at playing?" Oliver smirked after putting his hands on the keys

"I do find a lot of pleasure in watching you guys try to figure this out, but that's not why I'm here" Nyssa started "Lenora needs help down at the safe house so I'm going to head down there real quick"

"Okay, any specifics?"

"She just said to get down there ASAP, so I have no idea" Nyssa said before giving Oliver a quick kiss "But I guess I'll find out soon"

"See you in a bit then!" Oliver called out after her

Nyssa walked out of the penthouse and quickly made her way to the alley ways, which she used as her path to the safe house. Nyssa happily ran through the dark alley ways and let the morning air push her hair back. Back in Nanda Parbat, she never had the opportunity to run like this without being chased and now that she was in Star City, Nyssa liked to take advantage of it and run whenever she got the chance.

Soon, Nyssa was walking up the stone pathway to the front door of the safe house. Now that Nyssa could see it clearly, it kind of looked like a modern lodge style home. Nyssa walked up to the front door and gave a strong knock. She stepped back and waited a few seconds before the door clicked and someone answered

"Hey Nyssa! Thanks for stopping by on such short notice" Lenora said as she stepped aside and let Nyssa walk inside

When Nyssa walked inside, she saw a few boxes packed at the bottom of the stairs, but everything else was still in place.

"Huh, I thought you guys were going to take everything and leave Oliver and I with an empty house" Nyssa chuckled

"Nah, the furniture belongs in the house, we just took our personal items. We left everything weapon related that wasn't ours down in the training room slash basement thing"

"Okay, so are you two going to be moving into the apartment this week?"

"Actually, that's why I called" Lenora said as she pulled a key out of her pocket "We're moving in this afternoon, so the safe house is yours!"

"I get the feeling you did something" Nyssa laughed as she took the key "But thank you. We can start moving in later this week or something"

"No problem, but can you help us move these boxes to the car outside? Trent was going to help out, but I have no idea where he is right now. Probably got held up in a meeting or something"

"Sure, where's Jacob?"

"Right here!" Jacob called from the top of the stairs "Just getting the last few boxes"

"Thanks Jacob" Lenora smiled as she took one of the boxes from her husband

Nyssa helped Lenora and Jacob move the few boxes they had into the car outside, then walked back into the house. It was still filled with furniture, but it felt so empty after Lenora and Jacob decided to move out.

"Alright! I think we've got everything so we're going to head to our apartment and start unpacking" Lenora said as she walked up behind Nyssa

"Sounds good! When do you think you'll be all moved in?"

"Probably by Wednesday, which means around three days or so" Lenora started "Thanks for helping us out"

"No problem. I guess we'll see you down in the bunker soon"

"Yeah, cya then!"

After Lenora and Jacob left the safe house, Nyssa started poking around to see what she could do with the place for when Oliver and William see it for the first time. Nyssa first walked into her room, which she hadn't been inside of since she left to collect the swords. There was dust all over the top of her desk as well as the dresser. There were a couple knives laying around, but nothing that held sentimental value.

Nyssa turned to walk out of the room when her foot hit something. Nyssa turned and looked down at the floor and found that her foot had hit a small, brown box. It didn't look like something she owned, so Nyssa picked it up and opened the top. Inside, there was an old piece of paper with a hand written note

 _My daughter,_

 _Your spirit may have departed this world, but I needed somewhere to say this, to you only. I have made mistakes in my life, too many to count in reality, but the one I regret most is not being the father you deserved. You were only four years old when I handed you a sword, six when I made you kill something for the first time, nine when I sent you on your first mission, fifteen when I sent you on your first solo mission. Even when I was a child, I had it better than you._

 _I destroyed your life, and there is no one else to blame but me. I forced you into doing things you clearly didn't want to do and I stopped you from doing the things you truly loved, all in the name of the league._

 _I treated you horribly, and for all the mistakes and things I've done against you, I am sorry. Words cannot express how much it pains me to know that I made your life my legacy, and not your own path. Despite my mistakes, I always knew that you would go do great things in the world and I was right. You came to the city with Sterling and Zalam, put them and Oliver's team on a straight path, and then went into the security force to protect those who are working to change the city._

 _You were taken from this world too soon, and I didn't have time to say this. I love you. I love you more than life itself and I would do anything to protect you, yet I wasn't there when you needed me most. Even when I put that sword in your hand and made you kill for the first time, I thought I was showing you love like a father should, by showing you to be strong but I was wrong. Strength isn't always happiness. Oliver and the team showed me that while I've been working with them to stop Second HIVE._

 _Your spirit has departed this world, but I want to let you know, that I will never stop loving you. I will fight to see your original mission completed and I will not stop fighting until someone knocks me out of this life. When that happens, I hope you will forgive me, for all the mistakes I've made._

 _I love you my daughter, never forget that_

 _-Dad_

When Nyssa finished reading the note her father had written, tears were streaming down her cheeks. Even after Ra's died and he joined Fayiz as a guardian of the bridge, he had never said anything like this to her.

Nyssa was staring blankly at the piece of paper when her phone started to vibrate in her pocket. She dried her tears and took the phone out. On the screen, Oliver's caller ID popped up so Nyssa picked it up

 _"_ _Hey, William and I are ready to leave for Central City. Have you finished helping Lenora and Jacob?"_

"Um, yeah. I'll be back in a few minutes" Nyssa replied as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve

 _"_ _Are you alright? You sound like you've been crying"_

"I'm fine…just found something that brought up some old memories"

 _"_ _Okay, well, we're waiting for when you come home"_

"Thanks, I'll be there soon"

Nyssa hung up the phone, then took one last look at the letter her father had written and left in her room. Instead of leaving it there in the box, Nyssa set the box on the desk and stuffed the letter in her pocket. She quickly made her way downstairs and ran off the front porch after locking the door behind her.

Seeing as she had to go downhill in order to get to the penthouse, Nyssa decided to just take the streets since they would be pretty cleared up at this time of the day.

Nyssa ran through the small crowds of people that were littered all around the streets of the bustling town. She was able to run without much of a problem, as she had been trained to do so, but it wasn't long until a smaller child that looked to only be around six years old jumped out in front of her. Nyssa immediately ducked over to the side, but much to her misfortune, she ran into someone that was running rather quickly, like she was.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going" Nyssa apologized as she helped the man pick up his scattered belongings

"Not a problem at all" The man smiled "It's always nice to see you, Nyssa"

Nyssa looked up at the face of the man she ran into and was met by the famous dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes that she had come to know so well over the last year

"Well what do you know, Tarren Elorica is running late" Nyssa chuckled "Aren't you supposed to be training rookies?"

"Nah, we found a really good trainer, although he could never match up to you" Tarren chuckled "He's been teaching the rookies some techniques that are really helping in the field"

"That's good to know that my husband is safe with the team learning in their 'free' time" Nyssa smiled

"So where are you off to?"

"Oliver, William, and I are going to catch a train to Central City to visit some old friends. They're having something like a family reunion for old friends and we were invited to attend"

"Sounds so much better than what I'm doing" Tarren started "Meetings, overview of training, and a barley get to pick up a set of escrima sticks anymore"

"If you wanted to, I could swing on by and spar with you when I get back"

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

"I suppose I could take a day off from my job to whip you into shape" Nyssa laughed

"That would be much appreciated" Tarren smiled "I should get back to the office. It was really good seeing you again"

"Same to you, now go do some good work for this city!" Nyssa cheered as they split ways

Nyssa started back in a run towards the penthouse. Within the next ten minutes, she walked through the front door of the home with small beads of sweat on her forehead

"You really love running, don't you?" Oliver chuckled as he walked into the room

"Yeah, there aren't a lot of opportunities in Finiks Jurf or on a plane" Nyssa replied

"So did everything go well with Lenora and Jacob?"

"They just needed some help moving some boxes out of the house, but they gave me this!" Nyssa said excitedly as she pulled the key out of her pocket "The house is ours!"

"Nice! When can we move in?" Oliver asked excitedly

"Those two were 'generous' and didn't take all the furniture in the house, only took their personal belongings. We can move in this week or next weekend if you'd like"

"And this place as a training arena that we can use, right?"

"Yeah, it's in the basement and there's one area with a higher ceiling so I can always use that instead of the roof for getting to Finiks Jurf"

"Cool, that means the winters won't be so hard"

"Yet they never were" Nyssa laughed as she walked into her and Oliver' bedroom, where she set aside her bag "Where's William?"

"Just listen" Oliver smirked

Nyssa and Oliver both stopped talking for a moment and heard the faint sound of piano playing coming from the other side of the penthouse

"Huh, he discovered the Sostenuto pedal" Nyssa laughed quietly "Guess he doesn't want people to hear the little mess ups being made"

"Apparently he's been really self-conscious about his playing. I figured it's best to just leave it be until he's comfortable playing around more people" Oliver replied, also in a quiet tone

"I agree, but we should get going. I'll go get him if you want to wait in the living room"

Oliver agreed and Nyssa swung her duffle bag over her shoulder. They both split ways and Nyssa walked down the hallway until she reached the outside of the room that was currently sealed off by two French doors.

"William? Can I come in?" Nyssa asked with a light knock on the door

"Um, yeah!" William replied as the playing suddenly stopped

"We're going to be leaving for Central City. Did you still want to meet The Flash or did you want to stay here and keep playing, because it sounded lovely" Nyssa smiled

"I still want to meet him!" William said excitedly, but then stopped "You could still hear me? Even with the doors closed and the Soteno pedal or whatever?"

"Sostenuto, and yes, I could still hear you. You should keep practicing, because you have a real talent for it"

"Thanks, but are you sure that you're not just saying that because you're my mom?"

"Positive, but I would still lie to you and say you're a great player, even if your playing was really bad" Nyssa laughed

"Ugh, moms!" William laughed as they both walked into the living room, where Oliver was waiting

"Are you two music prodigies ready to go?" Oliver chuckled when he saw them both enter the room

"I suppose we could go" Nyssa laughed as she reached her hand out and Nuriel took the form from the flames

Nuriel quickly zipped around Nyssa with happiness before growing in size and wrapping around the family of three Queens. Before they knew it, the rush of warm air passed and they were standing near one of the elevators in Star Labs.

"Wooooah, this is already really cool!" William said with a big grin as he looked around the empty hallway

"I suppose it is" Oliver replied, but then leaned over to Nyssa and whispered in her ear "But Finiks Jurf is so much better"

"It better be" Nyssa laughed as they started walking off towards the cortex

When they walked inside the cortex, Caitlin and Cisco were leaning over a large computer screen while Iris was off to the side talking with Joe

"Sorry we're late, something came up in Star City" Oliver announced as the family of three walked into the cortex

"Hey Oliver! Welcome back!" Cisco said as he gave Oliver's hand a firm shake

"Good to see you again Queen family" Iris smiled as she and Joe turned to face them

"Good to see you guys too" Oliver smiled "Everyone, I'd like you to meet my son, William"

"Nice to meet you William" Cisco said, then turned towards the team "I'll do the introductions, okay?"

"Be my guest" Caitlin chuckled "But before you start, The Flash and The Elongated Man are out finishing a mission. They'll be back"

William gave a smile and a small nod, then Cisco went on with introductions

"First off, Hi, I'm Cisco AKA Vibe. I'm a meta that can teleport as well as see parts of the past, present, and future" Cisco started, instantly grabbing Williams' attention. "This is Caitlin AKA Killer Frost. She's kind of like a more badass version of Elsa from frozen, but her hair turns all white and her eyes go ice blue when her powers are 'activated'"

"That's pretty cool! I can't believe you guys are a team of meta humans fighting crime! It's like every comic coming to life!" William said excitedly

"Oh, sorry William. My dad and I are going to break that streak" Iris said with a small laughed "I'm Iris, The Flash's wife and this is my father, Joe West, a detective at the CCPD"

"I think I met you before Mr. West, in a coffee shop on accident. You bumped into us and my mom dropped her purse, so you helped her pick everything up. She was actually really grateful that you didn't try to run off with her things like someone else did a couple months before" William remembered

"Well, in that situation, you just have to do the right thing. Besides, stealing from a mother and her son is wrong, and cops are supposed to be better than that" Joe smiled

Before anyone else could say something, a flash of golden lightning shot into the room and a man in a red suit with a white, lightning bolt emblem on the chest stood in the middle of the room with a man dressed in a very pale blue suit next to him.

"I see the Queen family got here a bit late" Barry chuckled in his modified voice "C'mon Oliver, you're always slamming me about being late yet here you are"

"I don't think this one time is enough to compare to all your tardiness" Oliver chuckled

"But it was my fault that we were late, I was getting the keys to our new house" Nyssa stated

"Congrats! When are you moving in?" Ralph asked

"Probably next week at some point" Nyssa replied

"Ahem!" William coughed suddenly with a huge grin on his face

"Don't worry William, we didn't forget" Barry laughed as he approached the excited boy.

Barry carefully removed his mask and knelt down in front of William, revealing his head of brown hair that were accompanied by a friendly smile and eyes as comforting as a warm glass of cocoa in the winter.

"My name's Barry Allen, and as you now know, I'm The Flash" Barry smiled as he reached his hand out for the boy to shake

Instead of taking Barry's hand, William quickly pulled the scarlet speedster into a friendly hug. Barry happily returned the hug without the slightest bit of hesitation, which kind of surprised Oliver. Barry had seen this several times, especially with young teens and children. They always liked meeting him and usually gave him hugs of thanks after he helped them out with something.

"I'm feeling a bit left out" Ralph chuckled as he leaned up against the computer desk next to Caitlin

"Oh, right" William laughed as he and Barry pulled away from the short embrace

"This is Ralph Digny, AKA, The Elongated Man! He can stretch his limbs to unbelievable distances, sizes and shapes" Cisco introduced

"Don't judge me based on my suit, it's still a work in progress" Ralph pointed out quickly

"I figured, since Dad has told me a lot about how Cisco has a fascination with creating costumes and cool code names for metas" William replied

"Speaking of which" Cisco said as he turned to Nyssa "I had some ideas after you were here last week, regarding your costume"

"Oh? This should be interesting, but it's not a-" Nyssa started, before she was interrupted by a sketch pad being handed to her

"Just look at it, and consider it" Cisco said with a giddy smile

Oliver and William both walked over to where Nyssa was standing and looking over the suit that Cisco had designed. Instead of it being black based, it was mostly dominated by red and gold, with black accents.

"It's a very nice design, don't get me wrong" Nyssa started "But I'll stick with what I'm using right now, as it holds sentimental value"

"I can understand that" Cisco said as he set the sketch pad back on the computer desk

"If you guys are interested, I can take you on a tour of the lab, since William here is brand new to the team" Barry smiled as he walked towards the Queens

"No way! I'm part of the team?!" William gasped

"That's right buddy. You're part of team arrow, so you're part of team flash, and the legends" Oliver smiled "And you know how to fight to some degree, so of course you're on the team"

"Cool! I'll definitely take you up on that offer to take a look around the lab!" William said excitedly

Before leaving for the tour, Barry showed Oliver and Nyssa where they could set their bags in the meantime. While they were doing that, William pulled his own sketch book out of his backpack and walked over to where Cisco was standing, fiddling with a pen

"Hey Cisco, can you help me with something?" William asked as he approached

"Sure, what did you need?" Cisco asked happily as he turned around

"So my Dad said that when I complete my training and I'm at least seventeen years old, I can go out on the field. I got anxious and started designing my suit, but based on that drawing you showed my Mom, you're really good at this type of thing, so can you help me with my costume?"

"Sure! Let's see what you have here" Cisco said as he took the sketch pad "So what's your scheme here?"

"Well, I was given the name Al Dhiyb in the league, which means Wolf in Arabic. I was trying to honor the name by doing something based on the league's traditional armor, but more personalized with dark blue and silver accents"

"I like that, quite a lot actually; blue for the sky, silver for the wolf's fur am I mistaken?"

"Yes and no. I can easily see where you got that, but I just like those two colors" William said with a small giggle

"Let me put some time into this. I like what you've got going so far, but I want to add some Cisco touches if you know what I mean" Cisco said with a wink "What's your weapon of choice?"

"Double sided, collapsible, battle axe. Mom and Dad have also been teaching me archery, but it would be a secondary weapon if I was going to incorporate it"

"I can see if already coming together!" Cisco smirked "I'll have something ready by the time you leave"

"Awesome! Thanks Cisco!" William said as he scampered off towards the area where his parents, Iris, Joe and Barry were talking

"Hey Dad, are we going to go on the tour soon?" William asked excitedly

"Yeah, we were actually waiting for you" Oliver chuckled as he, Nyssa, and Barry all started walking out of the cortex.

-(=+=)-

Around three hours had passed since the Queens had arrived at Star Labs. Since they arrived, Oliver, William, Ralph and Barry have all been messing with Barry's powers and doing stupid things that guys did. Nyssa had wandered off with Iris and Caitlin and at one point, Caitlin and Nyssa were having an ice vs. ice sparring session since Nyssa could manipulate the water into ice. Caitlin won though, having more experience with ice while Nyssa with fire.

While everyone had been partaking in their separate activities, Joe had to go back to the CCPD after someone called in. Cisco was left to do whatever he wanted so he went straight to work on William's costume design. Much to the boy's knowledge, Cisco wasn't only designing the costume, but he was actually going to make one that William could wear while he was practicing down in the bunker or at Finiks Jurf.

Cisco had also seen the type of battle axe William had described to him, so he wanted to make the boy a weapon that matched the set of armor. While going through his best metal compounds and coming up with a game plan, Cisco had come to the conclusion that he needed to create a light weight metal compound from silver, iron, and some other metals. The specific compound that he decided to use was actually a common metal used on Earth-2 and Dr. Wells had given him some to try out.

Much to Cisco's dismay, he discovered that his supply of the compound had run incredibly short and he would barely have enough to make one of the axe heads. The only way for Cisco to get more of that compound was to actually go to Earth-2 and asked Dr. Wells for some more, which he didn't doubt he could do successfully.

After creating a course of action, Cisco walked out of his private workshop and walked around to try and find Barry and the guys. He soon found himself following the sound of laughter which led him up to the speed lab, where he saw Barry running around in the large track and Ralph trying to stretch around and catching him, almost as if he was trying to fill the track with his stretched out torso.

"C'mon Barry! Don't let Ralph catch you!" William cheered from the observatory area with his father

"Go Ralph! Show Barry there's a new hero in town!" Oliver laughed

"Dad, how could you?!" William said with a playful shove "The master always wins the fight!"

"You never know when the student will become the teacher" Oliver replied as they watched Ralph stretch after Barry's blurred figure which passed them hundreds of times

"What is going on exactly?" Cisco asked as he walked up behind Oliver

"Barry and Ralph are having a race of sorts. William and I are betting slices of French toast for the winner" Oliver replied as they watched the speedster and the stretched man

"Hmm, I think I have something to up the spirit" Cisco said as he jumped down from the deck and walked over to a computer station

Cisco typed for around fifteen seconds before turning up the volume on the speakers in the speed lab, blaring the song 'Can't touch this'. Cisco started moving his body around playfully with the beat while William started dancing up with Oliver.

"Yeah! Now this is how you bet!" Cisco said as he started clapping his hands to the rhythm

"How did we not think of this sooner?" William laughed as they watched Barry and Ralph even dance with the beat

"Not sure, but this is actually a lot of fun" Oliver admitted

"Woah! What just happened?!" Cisco questioned "Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, is having fun? Are you feeling alright? Should I go find Nyssa?"

"I can't believe I have been deemed as 'not fun' and that it stuck" Oliver laughed "And I'm feeling quite great, thanks"

"No problem, but there was a reason I came up here" Cisco said, grabbing the Queen boys' attention "I need to go to earth two to pick up some more metal compound from Dr. Wells for a project I'm working on"

"Wait, Earth-2?!" William said excitedly "Dad, can I go, please?!"

"Uhh, how dangerous is that place Cisco?" Oliver asked skeptically

"Not dangerous at all. The Central City there is much more peacefully since Dr. Wells armed the CCPD with weapons for easily taking down rouge metas. They mostly live in harmony with the normal people, so William would be safe there, especially with you and Nyssa at his side" Cisco replied

"Can we go, please Dad?" William said with a small hop of hope and happiness

"I suppose we could, as long as we aren't a hassle while you're there" Oliver said as he turned to Cisco

"No hassle at all, in fact, I've told Dr. Wells about you and I bet he would love to meet you" Cisco started, then turned to William "And they have their own flash on Earth-2; Jesse Quick"

"She sounds like a badass" William said with a smile "I'm in! Let's go find Mom so we can go"

Oliver just shrugged his shoulders at Cisco, then the three of them started walking out of the speed lab and off to find Nyssa, Caitlin, and Iris.

Barry and Ralph both popped out of the track, debating who won the race but quickly realized that their sponsors had disappeared

"I guess they lost faith in us" Ralph joked "You took too long!"

"Well I was racing you, that's why" Barry said with a playful shove

-(=+=)-

"Okay, you're right, that was pretty good" Iris laughed "Okay then, Caitlin, What's going on between you and Ralph?"

"I can't believe I agreed to play truth or dare with you, and not even the correct way" Caitlin protested as she started to blush "Are you sure I have to answer? Because according to your rules, if I get a pass from Nyssa, I don't have to answer"

"Don't look at me for support, I'm curious as well" Nyssa said with a devilish smirk, receiving an 'I told you so' from Iris

"Ugh Fine!" Caitlin said in defeat "I don't know what's going on, honestly, but all I know is that he's really nice and I like being around him, but I don't think it's in a love like manner, just as really good friends for now"

"That's how they all start" Iris said, receiving a nod of agreement from Nyssa "Just keep doing what your doing because I think Ralph might like you"

"You really think so?" Caitlin asked happily

"I do, and I think you deserve a nice guy so don't mess it up or try being someone you're not, because you're perfect just the way you are!" Iris replied with a warm smile

"Aww, you really are the best friend I could ever ask for" Caitlin smiled "So now I get to ask a question to one of you?"

"Yeah! You get your pick between Nyssa and I, or you can give one of us a dare" Iris replied

"Hmmm, okay then" Caitlin started as she looked between Iris and Nyssa "Nyssa, what's your most embarrassing story?"

"Oh god, why me?" Nyssa laughed as he face turned bright red

"Ooohhh! Good choice Caitlin! She's got a good one and you can just tell!" Iris teased, making Nyssa's face redder "C'mon, we aren't getting any younger"

"I could help you with that if that's what you want" Nyssa laughed "Alright….I can't believe I'm telling you this….So as you both already know, I grew up in a strict 'household' of sorts and everything was done way without argument, so messing up was always mortifying"

"Oh, it was in the league. This might be more interesting than I thought" Iris smirked as she propped her head up with her arm and palm of her hand

"So I had a pair of boots that I absolutely loved since I designed them and my father actually agreed to have them made for me. The one major flaw in the design was sole of the shoe, which was really deep and had some sharp points so I could trek through rougher terrain easier. I was only fourteen years old when this happened, but my father sent me out with Namir to get some intel from a farm in India. It was the middle of spring, so the ground was covered in mud, dirt, and all sorts of nasty substances that you don't find in the city" Nyssa explained

"Oh, I see where you're going with this….I think" Caitlin smirked

"So I got back from the mission and Namir let me give the report to my father. I walked into the 'throne room' and I noticed there was a slight squeak from my boots, but I didn't think about it sooner since it had been raining outside. I walked into the room and my father was facing away from me, so I gave a quick bow, then started my report. All was going well until my father seemed distracted by something behind me. He eventually pointed out what he was seeing when a smell started to drift into the room. I turned around and was so embarrassed when I realized…." Nyssa started, but couldn't finish when she started laughed

"Well c'mon! Just tell us so we can join in with the laughing!" Iris said anxiously

"Okay, okay, okay!" Nyssa laughed "I had tracked a combination of mud, cow manure, and fertilizers into Nanda Parbat all the way from the other side of the fortress and no one had bothered to tell me before hand! I could see that the guards on the sides of the room were trying not to snicker and I think my face turned a shade of scarlet red as my father looked down at me for my carelessness"

"That's amazing! But how did it end exactly, was he really mad or did he go easy on you?" Caitlin asked curiously

"He actually wasn't too mad. He just laughed with the rest of the guards, then explained to me that he did something similar when he was a kid, so everything turned out alright in the end, but he made me clean up all the foot prints since I didn't notice it sooner" Nyssa replied as her laughter died down

"Does Oliver know about this?" Iris asked curiously

"Oh yeah, I've told him about it while we were playing something like two truths and a lie when we were snowed in at the bunker" Nyssa replied

"Wait, you guys get snowed in at the bunker?" Caitlin asked

"Yeah, I didn't have powers at the time and there was a really bad blizzard that gave us around two and a half feet of snow, blocking all the exits for almost two days"

"Good think you and Oliver got along back then, or you would have cut each other's heads off" Caitlin laughed

"I can guarantee that wouldn't have happened. Dig and Felicity were there too and could have acted like mediators if we needed it" Nyssa replied

"I doubt we would have ever come to the point of needing mediators" Oliver laughed as he walked into the room the three girls were in along with Cisco and William.

"Yeah, I bet you're right" Nyssa said as Oliver kissed her forehead "So what have you guys been up to?"

"Stupid competitions and bets with Barry and Ralph. How about you?"

"Modified truth or dare, and a few meta sparring matches with Caitlin"

"And who won?" Cisco asked curiously

"Well, I was using ice to make the fight fair, so Caitlin beat me" Nyssa admitted

"Yeah! That's our girl! Way to go Cait!" Cisco cheered as he gave her a high five

"Thanks, but if Nyssa was using fire, then I think we would have had a much more interesting fight" Caitlin admitted

"Don't worry, we'll try it out a some point" Nyssa smiled "So what's up with you guys? Did you need something or did you just decided that we were probably doing more interesting things?"

"Cisco is going to Earth-2 to pick up some more metal compounds for a project and William really wants to see it. Would you like to come with the three of us?" Oliver asked his wife

"Hell yeah I want to see another earth!" Nyssa laughed as she jumped up from where she was sitting "When do we leave?"

"As soon as we each pack a small bag since we might be there for a bit longer than just a shopping trip or something" Oliver replied

"Okay, I'll go get my things" Nyssa said as she slid out of the room

Oliver and William both followed behind and soon, the Queen family was back in the cortex and had their small bags gathered. Nyssa and Oliver had both decided to grab their armor just in case something happened while William was sure to grab something to do in case they needed to wait for the compound to be created.

Eventually, the three Queens and Cisco were all standing in the middle of the Cortex with Barry, Ralph, Iris, and Caitlin all standing off towards the side

"I guess we'll see you when you get back" Ralph said with a small wave

"Yeah, and Nyssa?" Iris said, grabbing the assassin's attention "Start thinking of more truths and dares so we can pick up the game when you guys get back"

"Will do, and I'll have some good ones for you this time!" Nyssa said with a playful smirk

"Bye Barry! Bye Ralph!" William waved "You both did fantastic in the race, but I think Barry was slightly better"

"Are you kidding me? William's just playing by favorites!" Ralph laughed as he shoved Barry

"But he speaks the truth! For that, I thank you young Queen!" Barry said with a bow

"You are most welcome, scarlet speedster" William laughed as he bowed back

"Alright, everything's set for our departure! Are you Queens ready to go?" Cisco asked as he slipped his glasses and gloves on

"Yeah, let's get going" Oliver replied

As the members of team flash gave a series of waves, Cisco clenched his fist in front of him and a breach formed right in front of him. He had already explained to the new Earth jumpers what to expect, so without a second thought, they all jumped through the breach.

Several strange feeling seconds later, Oliver, William, Nyssa, and Cisco all landed on the safe ground of a Star Labs workshop on Earth-2

"Woooah, this looks exactly like Star Labs" William said as he started turning around in awe

"It is Star Labs, just on a different earth" Cisco said cheekily

Before Oliver or Nyssa could say anything, a man in a black sweater with dark hair and black glasses walked into the workshop the four of them were in. He had been holding a futuristic gun that was locked and loaded, but when he saw Cisco, he rolled his eyes slightly but also smiled as he lowered his gun

"Ramon, what are you doing here?" Dr. Wells asked as he approached the small group

"Good to see you too" Cisco chuckled "I need to get more of that exculsive compound you gave me a couple months ago. I'm working on a project and I am running incredibly low"

"Hmm, and who are these people you've brought with you?" Wells asked as he looked at the family

"Oh, right" Cisco said as he walked back to his friends "This is Oliver, Nyssa, and William Queen. Oliver and Nyssa are both vigilantes back on Earth-1 and William is their son who's probably going to be out on the field in the next two or three years"

"Nice to meet you all. I'm Dr. Harrison Wells, but Cisco just calls me Wells" Dr. Wells said as he shook each of the Queens' hands. "I've heard a lot about you Oliver"

"Really? How much?" Oliver asked curiously

"Quite a lot from Barry. The Arrow, Ra's al Ghul's heir for a period of time, the Green Arrow, but over all, the Star City Vigilante" Wells replied, then turned towards Nyssa "My god, you look just like her…it's actually scary"

"I'm sorry, who? What do I look like?" Nyssa asked, kind of confused

"Nyssa Amina" Wells said casually, making Nyssa raise an eyebrow "She's the equivalent of Taylor Swift on your earth"

"No way, Mom's a singer on this earth?!" William laughed with excitement

"Not your mom, but her doppelganger" Cisco said with a mischievous glimmer in his eye

"That's actually kind of scary. The two things I can't do are combined into one person that looks exactly like me" Nyssa laughed "Sing and dance"

"Well, I have to disagree on that first one" Oliver smirked

Before Wells could say anything else, a golden flash of lightning like Barry's zipped into the room. When the group opened their eyes to look at the speedster that had just zipped in, they were met by a young woman with light brown hair who was also wearing a speedster crime fighting suit

"Hey Dad! I finished my training for today!" Jesse reported happily "Nice to see you again Cisco!"

"Hey Jesse, how's being the flash going?" Cisco asked

"Really well! I think I'm going to get my own day like Barry did!" Jesse laughed "This is actually a lot of fun, but hard work too"

"You bet it is, but I'm glad you're enjoying it" Cisco smiled

"Wait a minute, is that Nyssa Amina?!" Jesse gasped as she looked over at Nyssa

"Uh, nope!" Nyssa corrected suddenly "Nyssa Queen, I'm from Earth-1!"

"Wow, you look just like her then" Jesse laughed "I was actually starting to think that my dad was able to get her here and show her around the lab"

"Anything's possible" Cisco said with a shoulder shrug

"True, that it is" Wells replied "Anyway, let's get working on that compound. I need something to distract myself from a current project"

Wells, Jesse, Cisco, and the family of three Queens all walked out of the workroom they were just in and made their way to Wells' version of the cortex. When they got there, William split off with Jesse to go see the lab while Cisco went with Wells to start making the compound

"So, a famous singer and performer" Oliver laughed as he gave Nyssa a playful shove

"What, you think I'm happy about that?" Nyssa laughed as she returned the shove

"I don't know, it's quite cool to learn what your doppelganger does with their life when it could be so different from your own"

"I don't disagree, I wonder what your doppelganger is or does" Nyssa smirked

"Well maybe we can do some poking around of our own and find out. I think it would be cool to find out what I'm doing with my life"

"Alright then, let's go bother Dr. Wells when he has a moment and figure it out!"

"Okay then, sounds like a plan!"

 **Author's Note: To all of you that had been waiting for an update, sorry about that! Finals are this week and I think that you can figure out why there's been a lack of updates from just that. If you were getting worried about the note from Ra's, don't worry because that will have some significance in the plot or at least the storyline later on! Until the next update my Hoviars!**


	17. Changing A Doppelganger

William was still off with Jesse doing some random science experiments while Cisco was with Wells working on making the compound for William's axe and armor project. Nyssa and Oliver were both left to do whatever, so they found Wells' equivalent to the speed lab and had been sparring in there for the last few hours.

For just a few seconds, Oliver had the upper hand as he pushed his sword against Nyssa's, making her stumble back a little bit. He started advancing on her, but she quickly saw his movement and right before his blade and dodged his attack. Nyssa snapped back into her stance and swung her own sword at Oliver.

Since she had more experience with swords, she was able to move a bit faster and quickly had Oliver's sword angled to his neck and her own sword pointed at his chest.

"Looks like I've got this one" Nyssa smirked as she slowly started walking towards Oliver, so he followed along by walking back

"I suppose you win this time" Oliver smiled as he quickly wrapped his arms around Nyssa's waist and pulled her into a kiss.

"Oh, I see how you want to play this" Nyssa smirked as she pulled away "You cheater!"

"It's not cheating, you technically already won so I was in the clear" Oliver laughed in reply "Then again, you could have killed me twice over if you had chosen to, which means that you knew it was over too"

"Damn it, there goes my victory" Nyssa laughed "So, when were you wanting to look into your doppelganger? Because I'm quite curious about it, probably more than I should be"

"Yeah, shouldn't you be more interested in your Taylor Swift doppelganger? C'mon, you have to admit that's pretty cool!"

"I suppose, but let's 'celebrate' after we find out what this place's Oliver Queen is up to"

"Speaking of which, why do you think this earth's Nyssa has the last name of Amina?"

"I have no idea, but if you see her, you can go right ahead and ask"

"Dang, I was really hoping you could give me some inside or something"

"Sorry to disappoint beloved, but I don't know everything"

"Certainly seems like it sometimes"

"Are you mocking me?" Nyssa smirked

"Nah, just saying that you usually know a lot on certain subjects"

"Well I'm sorry I don't know a lot about someone I just found out existed" Nyssa laughed "Now let's go find out something about your doppelganger!"

Oliver let out a small laugh as he and his beloved wife grabbed their swords and walked back down to the cortex. When they walked in, they saw Jesse and William both on the side of the room doing something with some colorful chemicals while Cisco and Wells looked like they were dealing some melted down metal.

"Hey Wells! You've got something like a facial recognition set up on these computers, don't you?" Oliver asked as he walked up to the computer station

"Yes I do but why do you ask?" Wells replied without looking over at Oliver

"I want to find out what my doppelganger is up to, just out of pure curiosity" Oliver replied, getting a small glare from Wells

"That's incredibly stupid, but do what you want. It's your existence you would be screwing with if you decide to meet up with your double"

"Uh, thanks…?" Oliver said as he took a seat

Oliver pulled up the facial recognition and search program, then typed in the name 'Oliver Queen'. There were a couple hundred results, but then after adding some filters, Oliver found his doppelganger. He pulled up the profile and looked at the information.

 _'_ _Oliver Jonas Queen: DOB-May 16_ _th_ _, 1985. Residence-Starling City. Known Family-Robert Alan Queen, Moira Dearden Queen, Thea Dearden Queen'_

"It all seems pretty straight forward, almost exactly the same" Nyssa said as she read the screen "Occupation?"

Oliver scrolled down the page a bit further and started reading the description that had been written. As he read, he seemed pretty cool with what he was reading, but then he started to get to where things got interesting.

"Huh…my father and I never got on the Gambit and I wasn't on Lian Yu for five years…." Oliver said as he kept reading

Nyssa, who had been standing behind the chair, wrapped her arms around Oliver's shoulders and rested her chin on his head as she read the description as well. Oliver didn't seem to mind at all, in fact, he seemed completely oblivious to everything that was going on around him. Eventually, he finished reading and sat completely still.

"Beloved, you only act like this when you're trying to think. What's wrong?" Nyssa asked as she picked her head up

"If I never got on the Gambit, I would have screwed myself" Oliver replied after a few moments of silence

"How so? What's going on with Earth-2 Oliver Queen?"

"Well for starters, I'm still looking like a stupid teenager on this earth, I'm working at Queen Consolidated but it doesn't seem like the company is doing too well, and it says that I've been arrested eight times in the last five years"

"Wow, you sound like a privileged loser" Nyssa chuckled "Glad I didn't marry that guy"

"This may sound crazy, but I actually want to….go to Starling City and whip myself into shape, because this is pathetic!" Oliver said as he gestured to the picture of a scrawny, stupid looking Oliver with hair that looked like what he had going on during his time in Russia with Anatoli.

"And how would you pull that off? You can't just walk into QC and demand to talk with your doppelganger"

"Which is why I'm going to need your help"

"Oh, this might be interesting" Nyssa smirked "What would you need my help with?"

"I need you to make me look like my father and you my mother"

"Um, what!?" Nyssa said with a small laugh "I think you're getting a bit desperate, don't you think?"

"I don't think so, but I think this would be the best way to go. Sneak in as the CEOs, find Oliver…or me…and then take down the disguises and give him a little lesson"

"And is this lesson physical or sentimental?"

"What do you think?"

"You'd probably want to go sentimental to avoid a problem, but I'm not opposed to the physical portion"

"Awesome! Can you take us to Starling then?" Oliver stated suddenly

"Wait, you want to do this now, as in, right now?" Nyssa questioned

"Is that alright?"

"I guess…but shouldn't you tell Cisco, William, or even Wells?"

"Right, I got a bit excited" Oliver said with a small laugh "I'll be back"

While Oliver was off on the other side of the lab, Nyssa sat down in the chair at the computer station and casually spun around until a small idea, but mostly curiosity, crossed her mind. She stopped spinning and pulled herself closer to the keyboard. She typed in her doppelganger's name and waited for the result to come up.

Nyssa Amina's information finally popped up. The first thing Nyssa saw was the photo that looked like it belonged on a driver's license. Wells was right. This earth's Nyssa looked exactly like her, and it was kind of scary in a way.

Nyssa scrolled down a pit further and saw a picture of one of Nyssa Anima's posters. On the poster, Nyssa Amina was posed with her microphone, back towards the camera, and facing a large crowd of people. It was obvious that it was a clear night when the picture was taken, and there were several blue, purple, and pink lights being shown down on the crowd. Nyssa could have sworn she saw highlights in her doppelganger's hair that looked like the ones she had from the bridge.

"Alright, everything's set! Jesse and William are going to finish their experiment while Wells and Cisco are going to keep working on the compound" Oliver called

"And what exactly did you tell them?" Nyssa asked without facing Oliver, just kept reading the screen

"That we were going out to Starling to check something out, since that is what we're going to do" Oliver started, then saw Nyssa was preoccupied "Whatcha reading?"

"I wanted to find out more about my doppelganger. This Nyssa has quite a background in performing" Nyssa started "Ugh, saying my name in third person is so strange…makes me sound insane"

"Well why don't we just call this one Amina, to avoid confusion" Oliver proposed

"Sounds good to me" Nyssa started "So Amina was involved in acting through middle and high school and towards the end of high school, she attended a concert for….Amber Marina. She was called up on stage to join in a duet and that song that she sang in went…viral?"

"An American term for getting really popular in a short amount of time" Oliver informed

"I swear you Americans have some weird terms" Nyssa muttered "Her early career was boosted from there and she attended Laurenza School of Performance. After that, she didn't really have to do anything different and started writing songs and going on tours"

"That sounds like a singers dream. Your doppelganger must be extremely talented"

"She better, or else this would all be a huge disappointment"

"Well why don't we go and confirm her talent?"

"What do you mean?"

Oliver smirked as he took Nyssa's hand and pulled her up from the chair. She followed him into one of the side rooms of the cortex and saw William and Jesse both hanging their heads over a beaker with a bubbling purple liquid in it.

"Hey, nice of you two to join us! Want to screw around with some chemicals too?" Jesse and with a smile when she saw the couple walked up

"We had a question about Nyssa's doppelganger that we were hoping you could answer" Oliver stated

"Okay, what do you want to know about Nyssa Anima?" Jesse smirked

"When you first saw Nyssa and mistaken her for her doppelganger, you said that your father finally got her to the labs? Is she in town or something?"

"Actually, she is! My friend and I are actually really big fans and we got a set of tickets. We're supposed to see you tomorrow night at the Star lit Colosseum. She usually tours the cities she's in which is why I got excited when I saw you in the workroom thing"

"Do you know where we could buy tickets?"

"Ooh, sorry. The tickets sold out months ago. I was able to snag my set of tickets at the very last minute, but it cost a tad extra"

"Okay then, thanks" Oliver said as he started walking away, Nyssa following close behind

"What were you trying to accomplish there?" She whispered as they walked over to their duffle bags with armor in them

"I needed a location. Tomorrow night, we're going to the Star Lit Colosseum and we're going to sit on one of the highest points and watch the show for free!"

"You filthy cheater!" Nyssa laughed as she gave her husband a playful shove "I can't believe you want to do that, but count me in!"

"Great, so do you want to go knock some sense into….wait, what should we call my doppelganger?"

"Not sure, what about Ghabi?"

"Ghabi? That is actually quite accurate, but I don't know whether or not I should feel insulted by that"

"Well this is your doppelganger, not my husband" Nyssa smiled as she gave her husband a kiss "Because unlike him, my beloved isn't a complete dumbass, just stubborn"

"I prefer the term tenacious, it sounds nicer that way. Then again, you don't fluff things up"

"No I do not, but I can see why you like the alternative" Nyssa replied "So are we going to dress in armor or just go in armed?"

"I was thinking armor because rooftop runs or if a quick getaway is necessary"

"Good thing it's getting dark out or else we'd be screwed. Do you even think your doppelganger will be at the office building?"

"I don't see why he wouldn't, but if it turns out to be incorrect, we can always swing by the mansion and see what we can do"

Nyssa seemed satisfied with that answer, so they both got changed into their armor and secured their weapons. Oliver made sure his bow that Cisco made him was collapsed, then he put it in a large pocket in his outer jacket. Nyssa sheathed her sword on her back, secured her bow to her belt, and pulled her hair up with the circlet. Both of them made sure to hide several knives on their bodies just in case something went south.

"Ready to go beloved?" Nyssa asked after hiding a knife in her boot

"Yeah, you can get us there, right?"

"It's the rooftop of Queen Consolidated, right?"

"I guess you do know where we're going"

"You told me before"

"Riiiiight, forgot about that" Oliver trailed of

"Are you feeling alright?" Nyssa asked as she turned around to face her beloved, with a look of concern on her face "You've seemed a tad distant"

"I'm fine, don't worry" Oliver said reassuringly "Just distracted is all especially after all this doppelganger shenanigans"

"Which is quite understandable" Nyssa said as she stepped into the middle of the cortex

"Hey! Wait up!" William called as he quickly ran over to his parents "You didn't say goodbye"

"Don't worry William, we wouldn't ever forget you" Oliver smiled as he knelt down and pulled his son into his arms

Nyssa smiled as she did the same, so all three Queens were kneeling on the ground, wrapped in each other's arms. While they were with each other in that split moment, Nyssa couldn't help but feel complete happiness knowing that she had found what she had been looking for her entire life.

"When will you guys be back?" William asked as he pulled away

"Probably within the next four or five hours" Oliver replied

"So around midnight. Should I just stay here until you get back so we can get a hotel or something?"

"Uh-um…I don't-" Oliver started, but he was cut off by someone

"I'll take William back to my house. We have several guest rooms and he can stay in one and you two another" Wells said with his arms folded

"Really? You'd do that for them?" Cisco questioned

"One thing you don't know about me, Ramon, is that I have a soft spot for families. A hotel is nice and everything, but our currency is completely different that your earth's so they would have been sleeping in the streets or in a workshop here" Wells explained

"I don't know what to say besides thank you, so much!" Oliver smiled "There's got to be some way we can repay you"

"There is one way" Wells replied with a small smile

"And what's that?"

"Like my earth, your earth has minerals that can only be found there and I need some for a project I am working on"

"What mineral are you looking for?"

"It's something called manestein. I've had some trouble tracking some down since it's only found in the northern fjords of Norway. Perhaps you could help me"

"Well, isn't this all rather convenient" Nyssa smirked, grabbing Wells' attention "The home of my league is in the northern fjords and we actually have a pretty hefty supply of that stone if you are serious about needing some"

"Yes, I do actually need some. When can you get it to me?"

"As soon as we get back to Earth-1, I'll go to Finiks Jurf and get some to Cisco"

"Finiks Jurf?"

"It's the name of the base. It means Phoenix Cliff in Arabic"

"Got it. I'm looking forward to that delivery" Wells said, then walked to a desk and wrote down an address "This is my address. Come by when you finish whatever you're doing and we can get you settled in a room"

"Thank you Dr. Wells" Nyssa said as she took the paper

"Please, it's Harrison, or Wells if you please" Wells smiled

Nyssa returned his smile and gave a small nod, then stepped back over with Oliver. Jesse made sure William was a safe distance away when she saw bits of flames escape from Nyssa's hand. Nuriel took form from the flames and started to circle around the two archers. As Nuriel grew in size and started circling at a higher speed, Nyssa and Oliver slipped on their hoods. Oliver pushed his mask up so it covered his eyes while Nyssa pulled up her veil. As soon as they both removed their hands from their coverings, the warm rush of air passed by them.

As Nuriel disappeared into the air, Wells, Cisco, Jesse, and William all looked at the spot where the Queen parents had been and saw that the spot was empty.

"Woah, that's pretty cool!" Jesse said excitedly

"Hey! You never said mine was cool!" Cisco pointed out

"Oh, well I guess I meant to mention it a couple times, but c'mon! Nyssa had a phoenix!"

"Damn Nyssa and her show worthy phoenix" Cisco grumbled as he followed Wells back to the work table

-(=+=)-

Nyssa and Oliver both felt their feet touch the ground of the rooftop of Queen Consolidated. Nyssa was the first to open her eyes and she quickly took in their surroundings. Oliver joined her a second later and they both wandered over to the edge of the building.

"So, what's the plan beloved?" Nyssa asked as the couple looked down the side of the building and towards the rushing road beneath them

"What can you do in terms of illusions?"

"Depends, what are you looking for?"

"My father for me and my mother for you"

"Are you sure that's the smartest idea?" Nyssa started "What if your parents are still in there. Imagine the chaos that would unfold"

"So what do you propose?"

"Suit for you, blazer for me, and I alter both our appearances just slightly so we can get in without causing a scene"

"Okay, what about getting up towards the office?"

"You've been acting as a vigilante for over six years and I'm the leader of a group of international assassins. I think we can figure something out once we're in there" Nyssa said as she jumped up on the small, concrete barrier that provided a block so people wouldn't slip off the edge "Shall we?"

"But of course" Oliver said as he jumped up next to his wife

Both archers pulled out their bow handles and pressed a hidden button on them. The limbs on both their bows extended and it was strung without the archers having to do anything. Each of them held their bow in their left hand and leaned a little further over the edge

Oliver and Nyssa both gave each other a quick glance then jumped off the edge of the roof. Both of them did half a flip so their backs were pointed towards the road beneath them. The two of them each shot an arrow up to the roof and then they secured the cables to their bows. Both of their descents were slowed and soon, they landed in one of the alleyways.

"And now the fun begins" Nyssa smirked as she collapsed her bow and put it back on her belt

"Is it wrong to say I'm kind of scared?" Oliver said with a small chuckle

"Not at all, illusion is naturally unpredictable. It took me a while to get used to it"

"So you're positive this won't….hurt?"

"Couldn't be more sure" Nyssa said as she snapped her fingers and a small orange light started to flicker in her palm "So! What color have you always wanted your hair to be?"

-(=+=)-

"Good evening. Can I help you with something?" The secretary asked as a man with brown hair and light facial hair approached her desk

"Yes. I have an eight o'clock with Mr. Oliver Queen" The man replied

"Name please?"

"Alexander Prescott"

"Alright, you can take the elevator over to the right. Mr. Queen is waiting" The secretary said as she passed 'Alexander' two guest passes to access the elevator; one for him and one for his assistant, who's dark brown hair cascaded down her shoulders effortlessly and dark blues eyes seemed to pierce through anyone's soul

"Thank you" Alexander said as he motioned for his 'assistant'. "Cadenza, where are we at with the proposition to Finiks Enterprises?"

"Right on schedule Mr. Prescott, as you requested" Cadenza replied as they stepped into the elevator

As soon as the doors to the elevator were closed, Alexander subtly pressed a small button in his blazer pocket. He secretly glanced up at the camera hidden in the corner and watched as the small light blinked twice, then went back to normal.

"We're in the clear" Alexander said after the camera had been tampered with

"I can't believe you wanted my cover name to be Cadenza, of all names" Nyssa said as she watched the number above the doors slowly increase

"I have more American experience so I know which names people would question and not" Oliver replied "Alexander isn't exactly my 'dream name' either"

The elevator let out a small ding and the doors started to retract. Oliver and Nyssa took their cover attitudes and walked into the hallway. Cadenza fell a few feet behind Alexander as they walked towards Mr. Queen's office. When they got there, they were greeted by his assistant. They showed her their ID passes and she stepped inside the office. A few moments later, she stepped back to her desk and told the two representatives they could go on in.

Alexander reached for the door and held it open for Cadenza. She stepped inside and watched as her boss walked in after them. The two representatives faced a desk with large windows behind it. A man with longer, dirty blonde hair and no build what so ever sat at his chair, writing down some things on a small sheet of paper.

While he was distracted, Nyssa removed her and Oliver's disguises for their faces, so they were still wearing the business attire. Earth 2 Oliver (We're going to call him Mr. Queen for convenience) was still distracted with his paper so Oliver decided he had enough of his doppelganger's obliviousness.

"Mr. Queen, my name is Alexander Prescott. I'm here to discuss the agreement that's being signed between Queen Consolidated and Raatko Industries" Oliver said while trying to remain as professional as possible

"Yeeeaaah, one sec" Mr. Queen said from his writing without picking his head up "Alright, what did you want exactly?"

"The-um, the agreement between our companies" Oliver replied, slightly annoyed

"What agreement? My father never told me about an agreement"

"Well it is your job as COO to know what's going on with your company"

"And it looks like I don't, so you should go talk with my father"

"So you're not even going to attempt to take on some responsibility?"

"How can I when I don't know?"

"You learn. You get up off your ass and you go find an answer so you don't pin more things on your father" Oliver said with a small growl "I can't imagine that he's proud of you if this is what you do on irregular basis"

"I'm sorry, who are you again?" Mr. Queen asked as he folded his hands and looked straight up into Oliver's silvery blue eyes for the first time

Mr. Queen stopped when he saw Oliver's eyes. They looked exactly like his and Oliver's facial hair was also cut in the same way. The only difference between the two's appearance was Oliver's hair was actually trimmed to look nice and he had a bigger build

Oliver turned back towards Nyssa who gave him a very small nod in agreement. He turned back to face COO Oliver Queen and looked him straight in the eyes.

"My name is Oliver Queen, and honestly, you are a disgrace to those of us who actually have to work to get to where you are right now!"

"This must be some trick my father is playing on me to get back at me for last week" Mr. Queen grumbled

"October 14th, 2007; you were going to get on your father's yacht, but you backed out last minute because you got the chance to sleep with a hot girl from college who'd been playing hard to get!"

"How the….hell would you know that! I never told anyone why I backed out!"

"If you had got on that boat, your father would have been dead and you would have been stranded on an island called Lian Yu for five years!"

"That's impossible. The gambit was designed to with stand the strongest storms. It wouldn't just start sinking!"

"It wasn't the storm that sunk the yacht, it was the bomb that was planted on board by Malcolm Merlyn!"

"Malcolm Merlyn is my father's best friend. He would never do something like that!"

"Yes he would. Your father was involved in a project to destroy the glades and when he wanted to back out and tell the press, Malcolm decided he needed to eliminate him"

"Well Malcolm is dead now, so why is this still what we're discussing?"

"Because if Malcolm never got on that plane to go to Egypt, he never decided to explore an old city down the Nile River, and he never decided to sleep on the first floor of the inn, he would still be alive!"

"Well no shit Sherlock! Of course he would be alive if a building never fell on top of him while he was asleep!"

"Except if he was alive, the glades would have suffered from a devastating, manmade earth quake that would kill five hundred and four people, along with injure thousands more, including your father"

"Where the hell are you pulling this stuff out of?! This is the craziest thing I've ever heard!"

"I'm you, from another earth" Oliver said in a stern tone, making Mr. Queen look at him straight in the eyes with shock written across his face "I decided that the hot girl from college lost her chance, so I got on the gambit, slept with Sara Lance, and then the bomb went off. Robert shot himself so I could survive, Sara was lost at sea, and I was stranded for five years! I learned to survive, I learned what's really important to someone. Right now, you are destroying a perfectly good life and taking advantage of everyone around you!"

Mr. Queen was completely silent. How the hell could there be another earth? There was only this one….wasn't there? Mr. Queen was about to say something when he noticed the assistant standing behind Oliver, who looked exactly like Nyssa Amina.

"What the hell is Nyssa Amina doing here? Are you just trying to prove your some type of hot shot because I insulted you on twitter last week?!" Mr. Queen demanded

"Uh, no…? My name is Nyssa Queen, and your counter over here is my lovely husband. What he says is true, we are from a different earth and you are blowing a perfectly good life away" Nyssa replied "I can guarantee that you will regret it in about ten years from now, when you don't have anyone who loves you, your left to run this already failing company, and you know that you screwed up, all because you couldn't resist personal temptations"

"Wh-what am I supposed to do then, if my life will really end up being that bad?" Mr. Queen asked, not even sure he should be talking with these people "Wait, how do I even know you're from another earth? What proof do you have?"

"We work with Dr. Harrison Wells from Star Labs in Central City. If you're so eager, just call him up and he can confirm everything we just told you" Oliver replied

"O-okay…."

Mr. Queen reached for his phone after pulling up the number for Star Labs and waited for someone to pick up. Oliver and Nyssa were only standing there for a minute before Oliver got a text from Cisco, asking if Wells should confirm. Oliver replied with a 'yes' and in the next few minutes, Mr. Queen lowered the phone from his ear and looked straight at the two people from Earth-1

"I-It looks like you c-check out…" Mr. Queen stated "Is my life really that bad? What are you doing on…your Earth….that is so much better than me?"

"Well, let us introduce ourselves" Oliver chuckled "Hi, I'm Oliver Jonas Queen. I'm the mayor of Star City and at night, I'm a vigilante that runs around shooting scum bags with a bow and arrow while wearing a green hood"

"Nyssa Asteria Queen. I'm the leader of a large group of international assassins and when I'm not at the base, I'm in Star City acting as a mother to our fifteen year old son, William"

"Wait, son? Vigilantes? Assassins? What the hell is going on with your Earth?!" Mr. Queen questioned

"Did you sleep with someone named Samantha Clayton in college?" Oliver asked

"Uh….y-yes…"

"Well on my earth, she got pregnant with our son and raised him until he was thirteen before she was kidnapped, along with my team and family, and taken to Lian Yu, where she was killed by a series of explosions" Oliver replied "With the vigilante part, on the island, I found a notebook in my father's pocket with a list of names of people who had destroyed our city. I later learned that these people needed to be taken down if I wanted the city to survive another ten years"

"So what, you just went around and killed these people?"

"Yes and no. On the island, I was taught several different ways to…." Oliver started, then trailed off "You know what, explaining everything in little bits and pieces is just a bit much. Why don't we all sit down and we can explain this to you…unless you have a meeting to get to"

"N-no…I was just staying in tonight to get away from home….my Mom and Dad haven't been agreeing lately and it's just pure hell. Good thing Thea's off at college so she doesn't get pulled into the mess" Mr. Queen replied

"Good. That's the first step to turning your life around; showing concern for other's besides yourself. Thea is a good start" Oliver said with the slightest smile

"Glad I'm getting somewhere already" Mr. Queen said with a chuckle as the three of them all sat down in a seating area across the office.

Oliver and Nyssa spent the next three hours explaining everything to Oliver's doppelganger, Mr. Queen they called him but later switched to Jonas since they all agreed that 'Mr. Queen' was Robert and not Oliver. They explained Oliver's time on the island, what he did when he got back, what Nyssa had been up to, and the Phoenix League.

"So are you saying that I should put a hood on like you do, learn to fight, then go defend the city and later, go after Nyssa Amina and try to marry her?" Jonas questioned after Oliver and Nyssa both finished explaining

"No. I want you to shape up your act. I want you to actually put effort into what you're doing here at the company, take some responsibility at home and make sure everything stays peaceful, and stop sleeping with every girl you meet! You have the capability of being a good guy, you just need to show that to a girl you meet" Oliver replied

"And I don't think you will be falling in love with Nyssa Amina. She's seems a bit out of your league right now" Nyssa added in

"Yeah, I've been to a couple of her concerts and it does seem that way. Besides, she's dating someone named Tarren Elorica" Jonas pointed out

"Wait, Tarren?!" Nyssa questioned while trying to hold back laughter but proved it was impossible. "You have to be joking!"

"What, no. What's his part on your Earth?" Jonas asked

"He's the head of security for the mayor's security. He had a huge crush on me when I was supposed to become head of security but it all dropped off when I 'died'. I went back and he kind of dropped the whole crush since he saw that Oliver and I were probably going to get married" Nyssa replied

"It is quite funny. Tarren's a….special kind of person" Oliver chuckled

"What? A mental disability?" Jonas questioned

"No, he just has a special personality" Oliver corrected

"Beloved?" Nyssa asked

"Yeah?"

"'iinaha ahd eshr. nahn bihajat 'iilana aleawdat 'iilaa wilyam (It's eleven. We need to get home to William)" Nyssa replied

"You're right" Oliver whispered "It's been nice meeting you Oliver, but Nyssa and I need to get back to our son"

"What will I do if I need to contact you and get your help with something?" Jonas asked

"Call Star Labs and tell Dr. Wells that you need to speak with one of us. He can help you set something up and we'll come back here when time allows" Oliver replied

"Okay then, I'll do that" Jonas started "Thank you for coming here and nocking the sense into me. I didn't know how badly I was screwing things up until you guys came"

"It's not a problem at all. Besides, it physically pained me to see a good Oliver Queen go to waste" Oliver chuckled "Just follow the guidelines we set out for you and you should be fine and trust me, if you do it, everyone around you will be happier"

"Okay, thank you both again" Jonas smiled as he tried to show the two out

"Don't worry about traveling outside the office. Nyssa and I have a special way of leaving, but we need to take your balcony" Oliver stated

"Um, o-okay"

Jonas/Earth-2 Oliver showed them over to the balcony and unlocked the doors. Before stepping outside, Nyssa snapped her fingers and when the orange light of illusion was big enough, she clenched her fist. When the light was extinguished, Nyssa and Oliver's business attire changed into their suites. Both of them weren't wearing their masks, so they both pulled up their hoods and face coverings.

"Remember, call if you need anything" Oliver said before stepping out on the balcony with Nyssa

"Right, I'll probably talk to you soon then!" Jonas said with a wave

Oliver and Nyssa both pushed themselves up to the railing and jumped into the night sky. Earth-2 Oliver was left standing in shock at what he had just witnesses; doppelgangers, more earths, vigilantes, and metas all in the same day.

"I need some vodka" Earth-2 Oliver muttered as he walked over to his desk and pulled out a bottle of Russian vodka.

-(=+=)-

Oliver and Nyssa both walked up the pathway of Wells' mansion. It was huge indeed, and it looked so modern as well. The landscape was all based on squares and some ovals with water flowing everywhere and the house followed the same theme.

The two vigilantes both removed their hoods and facial coverings, then Oliver knocked on the door. About ten seconds passed before the door was opened and they were greeted by Wells

"Glad you two could make it. How did your little meeting with the doppelganger go?" Wells asked as the two of them stepped inside

"Very well. He's going to try and switch his life around because when we told him about what he's doing to himself and the others around him, he didn't seem too pleased" Oliver replied

"Good to hear, and just to let you know, William has refused to go to sleep until you two came home, but he's having a hard time staying awake. Even Jesse went to bed before him"

"Okay, thanks Wells"

"No problem, now let me show you to your rooms"

Wells led the couple down a hallway and soon, they reached two large French doors. When opened, they revealed a large room and bed with a stone fireplace across from the bed. There were some large windows that looked out at the garden.

"Cisco already fell asleep as well. William is in the room just across the hallway" Wells said as he started walking out of the room

"Thank you again Wells" Oliver smiled

"No problem, now I have an early morning tomorrow and a project to finish so I'm going back to it" Wells replied as he stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind him

"Man, I'm covered it dirt" Oliver chuckled as he looked down at his green suit

"Well why don't you take a shower and I'll go see William" Nyssa proposed "And look how kind Wells was with bringing our bags in here for us"

"It is quite nice" Oliver said as he gave Nyssa a quick kiss "I'll stop by in a few minutes to say goodnight to William too"

Nyssa nodded in understanding, then Oliver started taking off his suit. Nyssa changed into some different clothes as well and then walked out of her and Oliver's room and gave a small knock on the door across from theirs.

"Come in!" William's muffled voice said from inside the room

Nyssa pushed open the door and walked inside to see William sitting on his bed, criss cross, with a drawing pad in his lap. He looked up from what he was doing and a huge smile spread across his face when he saw his mom. William quickly set his notebook down and scrambled to the foot of the bed and gave his mother a big hug

"You're back! Is dad back too?" William asked, still being held in a hug

"Yeah, he's back but in the shower. The alleyways are really dusty this time of year and he was covered in it when we got here" Nyssa replied "Thanks for staying up for us buddy. It means a lot, although you should have gone to bed"

"I keep telling you and Dad that I'm not going to bed until I know both of you are safe. I don't want to lose another parent"

"Oh William" Nyssa said with a small smile "You're never going to lose either of us. We'll always be here for you"

"Promise?"

"I promise" Nyssa replied "Now you should get to bed before Dad finds out just how late it is and that you're still up"

William laughed slightly and scooted back towards the head board. He set his notebook aside and started getting situated underneath the covers. Nyssa stood up from the foot of the bed and walked over to his bedside. She glanced down at the notebook and saw what William was drawing; superheroes

"Wow, these are really good" Nyssa said as she looked down at the notebook

"Thanks! It's actually a lot of fun coming up with code names, costumes, weapons, and all that kind stuff" William replied as he picked his head up from the pillow to get a better look at the notebook "Although I'm hoping that my suit will be much cooler than those"

"I don't think you could get any cooler than these" Nyssa smiled as she leaned down and kissed William's forehead "Goodnight buddy"

"Night Mom" William replied as he watched his mom walk towards the door to the bedroom

Nyssa closed the door behind her, then walked back into her and Oliver's room. Any insomnia that had been present before was completely gone, so Nyssa climbed underneath the covers of the bed and fell asleep to the sound of water running in the bathroom.

Oliver stepped out of the shower around ten minutes later and got changed into some loose clothes. He dried his hair as best as possible and just for Nyssa, he made sure that the one part that the one part of his hair was pushed to the right instead of the left.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, he expected to see Nyssa reading a book or even William sitting in their room, but saw his wife already asleep. Oliver smiled as he slipped underneath the covers and positioned himself next to his wife. Sleep quickly came over him and before he knew it, he was in the middle of a strange dream having to do with the renaissance period.

 **Author's Note: Speaking of renaissance period, if you didn't know already, I started another story called 'Queens and Assassins'. If you don't want to read the summary there, then I'll just tell you. Everyone's favorite Arrowverse characters are put in a story where each family has a kingdom. Some are struggling and some are prosperous, but do you know what makes everyone prosperous? Arranged Marriages! How will your favorite characters cope with their lives as royals and how will their kingdoms affect their lives?**

 **Sorry for the later update too. I just finished finals and all I wanted to do was sleep! Another update will probably be out in the next day or two and I think it will probably be for Queens and Assassins because I have SOOOO many ideas for that one. Thanks again for all the review that have been coming in; they've really been helping with writing more chapters!**


	18. Concert Loss

Robert sat his desk at Queen Consolidated in the early morning hours like he usually did. He tended to work best when not a lot of people had come in. They always walked inside to talk when he was deep in thought, which wasn't good for business.

It was only six thirty in the morning and the sun was already rising. People didn't start coming in for another half hour, so that meant there was just enough time to finish the company overview report. He had given the task to Oliver, but he didn't expect to see a good, finished copy on his desk by five, which was when he had to get it to the board so he just started on it himself.

Robert started typing up the report, but when he moved his arm to pick up his cup of coffee, he ended up pushing a pile of papers off his desk.

"Damn it…" He muttered under his breath as he leaned down to scoop the papers up, but felt a stretching pain in his back

His night job was certainly getting the best of him. Although he was in excellent shape, he was getting old and his body was naturally starting to deteriorate. He had tried finding someone who could become his replacement, but didn't find anyone who could hold the mantle for more than four months. At first, Robert considered letting his son in on his secret, but then realized that he was too much of a chicken, per say, to shoot someone and it certainly didn't help that he was lazy.

After picking up the papers and putting his back into a more comfortable position, Robert went back to writing the report. He was only just finishing the opening paragraph when there was a knock on his doorway. The CEO picked his head up and saw Oliver walking into the office with his hair cut, but not very well, suit straight, and just an overall sharpness to his appearance.

"Hey Dad, can you give me a few pointers on how I'm supposed to continue from this statement?" Oliver asked as he handed his dad the folder he was carrying

Robert stopped typing and opened the folder expecting to just see the first few words, but to his surprise, he saw almost six full pages of a typed report. There were scribbles all over the pages with edits that needed to be made, and then there was a star that said 'Dad?'.

"I have to admit, this is not at all what I expected…" Robert said as he started reading down the report

"Did you expect me to only get the first two sentences before coming to you for help?" Oliver questioned

"Yes….yes, that's exactly what I expected" Robert replied "Your tone in this is excellent. It seems that you did pay some attention in your college classes"

"I thought I should dust off some old notes that Laurel helped me write. They did come in handy"

"How long have you been here…and when did you cut your hair?"

"I've been here all night, and I cut my hair earlier this morning when it kept getting in the way. My cutting sucks, but I was planning on going in and getting it fixed up later today"

"Well even though all the ends are crooked, it still looks a lot sharper than when it was long" Robert started "This is actually…really good. I would just wrap it up right there with a general summary"

"Great, thanks!" Oliver said as she took the folder and started walking out "Wait, is the board meeting today at ten or eleven?"

"Ten…?"

"Okay, I'll be there"

Robert was left sitting at his desk, the most confused he had been since the time he woke up in a bus after a night full of drinking back in college. He started to wonder if his son had seen something or someone had finally been able to knock the sense into him. Figuring that it was Oliver's business alone, Robert happily deleted his version of the report and started working on things that a CEO should have to worry about.

-(=+=)-

"Nys? Are you in here?" Oliver asked as he walked down the hallways of the Earth 2 Star Labs.

He popped his head into each workroom in hopes of finding his wife, but didn't see anything. She wouldn't be working with Wells or Cisco since they were in the middle of shaping the compound. She wasn't with William or Jesse so that meant she was somewhere on the floor Oliver was currently looking around.

Oliver was coming up on the last few workshop rooms on the floor he was on. If Nyssa wasn't on this floor, then she was probably on the roof either reading, meditating or just people watching. Nyssa had showed Oliver how much fun people watching could be and now the two of them would randomly sit on the rooftop of a building right above a busy area of town and just watch the passing people.

Oliver peeked his head into one of the workshops and to his surprise, he saw Nyssa standing over a metal table with several maps laid out, some random scrapes of paper and a couple open notebooks with Arabic scribbles. From the looks of it, she looked a bit stressed so Oliver did his best to keep a bit of distance

"Hey, I've been looking for you everywhere" Oliver said as he started walking inside

Nyssa was still staring down at the maps when she raised one hand and gave a small wave, but quickly went back to reading over the writing on the paper. Oliver got curious and walked up behind her to see what she was reading. He watched her write down some things in Greek from the map, and then he realized that this was one of the maps that she used to plan extractions when she was away from Finiks Jurf

"So…what are you planning?" Oliver asked while rocking back and forth on his heels and toes

"I'd love to talk right now, but I really need to finish this…." Nyssa muttered as she walked over to another table and grabbed another book

"When do you want or need to have this finished?"

"Preferably before six thirty…."

"Okay then. Do you need any help?"

"You can't read Greek so you wouldn't be much of an assist"

"Hmm, hold that thought"

"Doubt I'll be able to do that for long…"

Oliver dashed out of the room and ran down to the cortex. Once again, William and Jesse were doing little experiments while Cisco and Wells were shaping the cooling compound into the shape of something that looked similar to a battle axe.

"Hey Wells! I've got a question for you" Oliver said as he walked up to the two guys

"This ought to be interesting" Wells sighed "What do you…need…?"

"So Sara Lance and the Legends from Earth-1 have these pills or something that you can swallow and you have the ability to talk a certain language until it wears off. Do you know where I could find something like that?"

"Ask Jesse. Ramon and I are at a critical stage in this process and I can't leave. I know we have something like that and Jesse would know what happened to it"

"Okay then, thanks"

Oliver walked down the steps of one section of the cortex and into another. Jesse and William were standing across from each other at a metal table building something that looked like a mechanized bottle rocket and both looked rather excited about it.

"Hey buddy! Whatcha building?" Oliver asked as he stepped to William's side

"Jesse had this idea to build a bottle rocket with some chemicals to make it go higher so we made some containment thingies and once we finish securing them, we're going to go launch it on the roof!" William replied excitedly

"That sound pretty cool!" Oliver started "Jesse, your dad told me to come over and ask you about this since he's busy with Cisco, so when you have the chance, can you lend me a hand?"

"I can help you right now if you'd like" Jesse replied "Shoot!"

"Okay, so Sara Lance and a group that calls themselves the Legends have these pills you can swallow and it allows you to speak another language until the effects wear off. Wells said you had something similar and to ask you where it is"

"Oh! I love those things! I used a couple of them to pass my Spanish Final in college!" Jesse laughed "Follow me!"

"Can I come?" William asked

"Sure, now let's get going! These things are so much fun!" Jesse laughed as she practically skipped down the hallway

Jesse led Oliver and William into a small workroom that had a couple tables set up as a work space, but half of it was dedicated to storage. Jesse walked up a shelf and started rummaging through a small box. It wasn't long before she pulled out something similar to a small pill jar, but it looked much more technologically advanced to just be a pill jar

"Okay! This is the magic of science. There isn't anything cooler than this….just kidding! Super speed is awesome!" Jesse laughed as she popped the top off and shook two pills into her hands "Just out of curiosity, what language do you want to speak for the next six hours?"

"Greek" Oliver replied

"Why Greek? Why not Latin or Slovenian or something like that?" William asked

"Because I'm going to help Mom with something for the league and in order to help, I need to speak Greek" Oliver replied, satisfying William's curiosity "So what do I do exactly?"

"Just swallow the pull and the next thing you know, you'll be talking in Greek, but it will feel as natural as English to you" Jesse explained

"Okay then, here goes nothing" Oliver chuckled as he tossed the pill in his mouth and quickly swallowed

He didn't feel anything at first, but then felt a subtle tingling sensation on his tongue. It didn't hurt or anything, but if he had to describe it, he would have said it felt like there was a breeze that just blew over his tongue

"Leitourgeí? (Is it working?)" Oliver asked, making Jesse and William both smile widely and nod their heads up and down quickly

"You can thank me when the pill wears off because I won't understand you until I take one of these, and I need to communicate with William about the project. Hope you're able to finish whatever it is you wanted to do!" Jesse said

Oliver gave a large smile, then waved as he left the room and walked towards the elevator. He walked into the small, moving room and pressed the forty seventh floor button. It only took a few seconds before there was a small ding and the doors opened. Oliver walked out of the doors and quickly made his way towards the workroom where he last saw Nyssa

Oliver walked inside the workroom and saw Nyssa sitting on a stool, holding her head up with one hand while reading down the pages of a book written in Arabic. He thought she knew he was there, so he walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

Nyssa felt someone's hands on her shoulders and quickly jumped up and slapped whoever was behind her. She spun around and saw Oliver stumbling around while holding the bridge of his nose

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were there!" Nyssa apologized frantically as she walked over to her husband "I didn't break your nose….did I?"

"Ochi óchi. Ola eínai kalá. Aplá ékpliktos (No, no. Everything's fine. Just startled)" Oliver replied with a small laugh, but all he saw on Nyssa's face was pure confusion

"Did you just….speak…Greek….fluently?"

"Elpízo na to ékana, alliós tha símaine óti to chápi den leitoúrgise (I hope I did, or else it would mean that the pill didn't work)"

"Chápi? (Pill?)"

"Wells kai oi Legends échoun éna chápi pou se kánei na milás diaforetikés glosses. Píra éna kai moiázei na leitourgeí! (Wells and the Legends have a pill that makes you speak different languages. I took one and it looks like it works!)" Oliver started "Ti chreiázetai na káno? (So what do you need me to do?)"

"Epitrépste mou na sas deíxo (Let me show you)" Nyssa smiled as she led Oliver back towards the table

With Oliver now being able to speak fluent Greek, Nyssa was able to quickly explain to him how the extractions were planned, what they had to factor in with foreign enemy lines, and now she could explain to him what some of the secret league codes were. Oliver felt that with such a small and simple piece of technology, he was able to better understand just what his wife did every day, and now he had an even greater appreciation for it after seeing just how difficult it could be.

-(=+=)-

"Even with the help, I didn't think my wrists could hurt this much!" Nyssa chuckled as she twisted her wrists out

"Sorry, I didn't know I would have trouble writing in Greek" Oliver replied

"Don't worry about it! This was amazing! I didn't think I was going to get this done in time so we could actually sneak into the concert tonight" Nyssa started "Thank you soooo much for helping me out with this"

"You don't ever need to thank me. I'm your husband" Oliver said as he got up from his chair and walked over to his wife and took her hands in his "Besides, you help me with things for the office whenever I need it and after me not being able to help you, the least I could do with this opportunity is take it"

"You really are the best man I could ever ask for" Nyssa smiled as she stood up and gave her husband a kiss "So does William wanting to go to the concert too?"

"No, he said that in case there was some…not age appropriate content, he would like to stay with Jesse. I don't think he wants some doppelganger to ruin the image of his mother"

"He's a smart boy, but why didn't we look into that sooner?"

"Because Nyssa Amina is the equivalent to Taylor Swift and she doesn't sing songs about porn, getting drunk, clubs, or anything else that young teenagers shouldn't be listening to"

"Fair point, but you know that I don't keep up with celebrities"

"That's true" Oliver said before glancing at the clock "We should probably get going so we can get up on the high point before the show starts"

"What, were you planning on finding popcorn or something?" Nyssa laughed while the two of them started rolling up maps and closing books

"I wasn't planning on it, but if you'd like to get it, then we can definitely do that"

"Nah. If we're up there and a piece falls down towards the crowd, then we're screwed"

"Right, I forgot that we're going to be up above everyone….with our suits on"

"Speaking of suits, you should probably head back down and get changed if we want to leave and get up there in time"

"What about you?"

"My bag is up here. I had some things in there for this whole project"

"Okay then. Meet me in the cortex when you're ready"

Nyssa nodded in understanding, then walked over towards her bag of armor while Oliver walked out of the room. She started putting on the layers of heavier fabric and then started hiding her knives. The last thing Nyssa did was pull her hair up and put the classic circlet on.

She was about to walk out of the room when something stopped her. Nyssa walked back towards her bag and reached into a small side pocket. She pulled out a slip of paper folded into fourths and opened it up. The letter her father had left in her room after thinking she was dead held a lot of sentimental value to Nyssa and for some reason, she had been keeping it in her pocket while she fought. It wasn't because it brought good luck to a fight or some other voodoo magic, but just because it let her have a small part of her father while doing the thing he loved.

After putting the letter into her pocket, Nyssa started walking towards the elevator. She soon arrived on the twenty first floor, where the cortex was located, and started looking for Oliver. Nyssa soon walked into the cortex and saw that Wells and Cisco were still working, Jesse and William were nowhere to be seen, and Oliver was standing in the middle of the room adjusting his outer jacket

"Are you about ready to go?" Nyssa asked as she strolled into the room

"Yeah, but for some reason, my jacket keeps getting suck on part of my Kevlar. I think there's a metal part that got loose and I can't find it" Oliver replied while fidgeting with the shoulder of the jacket

"It's this shoulder, right?"

"Yup, it's that one"

Nyssa walked around behind Oliver and quickly found the reason why his right shoulder was all crooked. One of the metal parts on his quiver was imbedded into the back of his jacket, which was pulling down on the rest of it. Nyssa pulled the small hook off the back of the jacket and straightened it out before walking back in front of him

"Does that feel right?" She asked

"Yeah, it's back where it should be" Oliver replied "So how about we get going?"

"Sure, let's get going"

"Hey Cisco!" Oliver called

"Whatcha need Oliver?" Cisco called back

"If William comes in with Jesse, tell him that we already left, but we have our phones on"

"Will do! Now get out on your date!"

Oliver and Nyssa both walked out of the cortex and took the elevator up to the roof. Oliver plotted their route to the Star Lit Colosseum and soon, they were jumping off of buildings and flipping into alleyways to get there in time.

-(=+=)-

"Coms have been activated. Let us know if you need anything else before you leave" A woman with brown and caramel hair said from her computer in the vigilante's bunker

"Will do. Thank you Katara" Robert replied as he flipped up his dark green hood and picked his bow up from the glass case "Where's Adrian?"

"Right here Robert!" Adrian called as he jogged into the room in his own vigilante attire, which looked more like an assassin's

"Great, let's head out. There's a bank robbery in progress on Nelson and 6th so let's take care of that before going out on the normal patrol"

"You got it chief!"

-(=+=)-

"C'mon Oliver! This is going to be fun!" Nyssa laughed as she looked down at the crowd of thousands of people and the small beam ahead of her that led to a bigger platform where they could sit

"What are you wanting to have, a race?" Oliver chuckled

"If you are feeling competitive, then hell yeah! We've got a beam split into two thin halves, a big drop, and the cover of darkness so take your stance!"

Oliver smiled underneath his hood as he and Nyssa both stepped to the edge of a side of the beam. They both looked at each other and as soon as their gaze broke, the two vigilantes ran forward on the beam as fast as they could without losing their balance. Nyssa was a bit ahead of Oliver but he was able to pick up his speed and get even with her. When the two of them saw the even ground, they both ran even faster in hopes of beating the other, but the whole race ended up being a tie.

"Draw or best two out of three competitions tonight?" Oliver asked

"Best two of three. You never know how we'll choose to get down from here" Nyssa replied while looking out at the crowd of thousands, who were all gathered around a dark stage "I didn't think this many people would come out to something like this"

"You never know what you'll find on another earth" Oliver said while looking around "Hey look, there's a good spot to sit over there"

Nyssa looked over to where Oliver was pointing and saw a flatter platform that was slightly larger than the edge they had been running on. They both walked over to the spot and sat down with their feet dangling over the edge.

"It's quite beautiful up here, and the night sky is rather nice tonight" Oliver said while looking up at the stars "I think you got me into star gazing after going to Arches National"

"That's certainly not a problem. It's quite relaxing to just watch the sky and sometimes it feels like you can see the stars moving" Nyssa replied

"Hey look, I think the show's starting"

Nyssa and Oliver both gave their attention to the stage, which was now being lit up with purple and blue spotlights. White fog started to pour into the colosseum from the sides of the stage and like assassins, the eight back up dancers and the star of the show all slipped onto the stage. Background music started to play and lights on the floor of the stage started to light up, making the nine people on stage appear like silhouettes. The crowd started to go crazy when they saw the singer they all came out to see, and that's when the show really began.

Nyssa Amina was standing in the front and dead center of her back up dancers, dressed in a purple high low dress with a light blue belt. The skirt almost seemed to shimmer as she and her dancers started to go through the beginning steps of the choreography before she was supposed to start singing the melody.

(A/N: I couldn't think of another song to substitute as Amina's, so just imagine 'Just Dance' by Lady Gaga or something…I really didn't know)

A second before the melody started, the main spotlights shown down on the dancers and Amina. Now in the light, Nyssa could see, even from her distance, that this earth's Nyssa did indeed have two highlights in her dark hair like ones you got from the bridge.

"She's got highlights like I got from the bridge. This might be more interesting than a thought" Nyssa whispered over the crowd's clapping to the rhythym.

"Bridge highlights? Those are the highlights you told me you had when collecting the swords, right?" Oliver whispered back

"Yeah, those are the ones"

Nyssa watched as he doppelganger and her dancers all danced through the song beautifully; all in sync and there wasn't a boring part of the performance. When the song was completed, there was a quick rotation of things on stage before Amina went into the next song.

It had been around fifteen minutes since the performance started and two songs had already been completed. The third song was just being completed and the crowd erupted with applause when Amina finished on the high note. Oliver couldn't help but wonder if his wife's voice sounded like the doppelgangers, but he figured it would be best not to push to find out.

"Thank you!" Amina called over the cheering fans "Thank you all for coming out tonight to join me on the Rebirth Tour!"

The crowd seemed to cheer louder when she thanked them, so Amina waited a moment before speaking again.

"Tonight, I'd like to welcome a special guest onto the stage. Most of you know her as the one who kick started my career, or the classic star, but she's more than that. She's my best friend" Amina announced "Please welcome to the stage Amber Marina!"

As the crowd continued clapping, whistling, and cheering, a woman with champagne blonde hair with faint, rose gold highlights on the tips, and blue eyes walked onto the stage wearing a similar dress to Amina's, but was white and had rose gold accents.

While the crowd's cheering was still echoing throughout the colosseum, the stage went dark and the two singers took their place with the backup dancers. When the stage lit back up, the two of them jumped into the main melody together and carried the tune beautifully, even with the age gap. Soon, the song came to an end and Amber walked off the stage with the crowd chanting her name

"I can see why people like Amina so much" Oliver said to his wife, who had her head leaning up against his shoulder "She's really good. I'd come see another concert like this"

"You'd want to come back to this earth to see my doppelganger sing again?" Nyssa asked

"Sure, I mean, we know that she's not someone who strips for attention. She actually has talent so we could bring William here if he was interested"

"I bet he would enjoy getting to see more of this earth, even though it's almost exactly like ours"

"Ahem" Oliver coughed while laughing and pointing down at the stage

"With some exceptions" Nyssa corrected

-(=+=)-

The concert was starting to come to an end and Amina was just about to perform her last song, which was also one of the biggest hits of her career; Wildcard. She had written it to describe someone's personality, but she didn't entirely know who it was, just that they were familiar in a way.

After the quick break, Amina stepped back out to the darkened stage and took her place with the backup dancers. Instead of holding a microphone, she had a headworn microphone so she could dance easily since this song included some more complex choreography.

The fog lights started to brighten up and the background music started to play. Amina immediately jumped in with the vocals and started doing a light dance. When the background music took over, that's when the real challenge begun. Amina and her dancers started doing the more complex dance and then the vocals were supposed to come back in at the same time. It was more difficult on stage, but after all the practice that had been put into it, Amina was able to finish that part of the song up perfectly. The next part was the long and extended background music and choreography that including spins, a couple flips, and some other quick movements.

When the background finally took over after the vocals, the spotlights started to change colors into warmer colors as they moved with the rhythm and dance steps. She was getting closer and closer to the end and the concert's outcome was starting to become more clear as Amina started coming to the end of the first half. The last step sequence was up and at the end, there was a short pause where everyone on the stage would strike a pose.

After bringing her foot in, doing a quick spin, and shooting one hand in the air, the pause begun as the background took over for a couple seconds. The crowd started cheering, expecting the song to continue, but something else was going to happen

Before Amina could start singing the second half, a large explosion was heard from just outside the colosseum and the ground started to shake slightly, throwing everything off. The screams from people in the crowd were deafening, but not enough to drown out the sound of explosions coming from inside the colosseum.

"Oh my god, Oliver! We have to do something" Nyssa said as she and Oliver quickly looked around to find the source of the explosions, but didn't see any from their perch above the colosseum.

"Wait, look!" Oliver shouted when he saw an explosion go off near one of the exits, making it cave in and trap the people on the left side of the stadium.

Shortly after the explosion on the left, another one went off in the right, trapping all the people on the right. The only exit left was in the center, but then Oliver realized where he and Nyssa were standing and the pattern that was taking place.

"Nys! Look out!" Oliver shouted right before another explosion went off

Nyssa looked over at Oliver, but quickly felt the part of the building underneath her start to crumble. Oliver quickly pulled out his bow, extended the limbs, nocked a grappling arrow, and shot it towards the stage.

"Nys! Grab my hand!" Oliver shouted right as the ground underneath them started to fall apart

Nyssa quickly reached over and grabbed Oliver's hand. He pulled her closer and jumped off the pile of crumbling wall. Oliver and Nyssa both zipped down the cable he had shot, flying right above the crowds as they marveled at the sight of the vigilantes, thinking it was their city's pair of crime fighters, but they were mistaken.

Oliver and Nyssa both landed on the stage and quickly turned to see the crowd fighting to get past the ruble of the fallen exits, but they were only hurting themselves trying

"Whoever's attacking the concert wants everyone in one place so they can do something. Hostage situation is most likely" Oliver said in a modulated voice

"Then we should get them out. We've both got explosive arrows" Nyssa said as she drew two from her quiver and nocked them on her bow

Oliver did the same and the two of them pointed a total of four explosive arrows at one of the piles of rubble. They were both about to release their arrows when the sound of clicking metal stopped them

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?!" A deep voice demanded from behind

Oliver and Nyssa both spun around with arrows nocked but were surprised to see two vigilantes standing behind them. One was dressed in a dark green suit that looked a lot like Oliver's while the other looked exactly like…Adrian Chase's league armor, but with a dark hood and mask.

"I will ask you again! Who are you and what are you doing to these people?!" The one dressed in green asked

"You're the Green Arrow. Starling City's vigilante…." Oliver muttered underneath his breath

"Why are you attacking these people!?" The Earth-2 Green Arrow commanded

"We are not here to harm these people, but here to help them escape. Whoever has planted these bombs wants them all in the same place to hold as hostages or to kill them all to make a point" Nyssa pitched in

"You still haven't answered my question! Who are you?!" Green Arrow shouted as he nocked his own arrow

"We're fellow vigilantes. We come in peace" Oliver said as he and Nyssa lowered their bows "Tell us what you need us to do and we will do it"

Green Arrow and Adrian were both dead silent, but knew the situation needed to be handled immediately. Adrian looked over at Robert, seeking directions, but saw him looking lost as well. Seeing that the two native vigilante's were distracted, Oliver naturally took up charge

"Green Arrow, and…." Oliver started as he looked at Adrian

"Shadow" Adrian spoke

"Green Arrow and Shadow, stand by and as soon as we create an exit, start getting people out and to the authorities quickly. If you run into a problem, resolve it" Oliver instructed

Robert and Adrian didn't waste time in arguing, but jumped over the crowd on a cable arrow and took their places next to the pile of rubble.

"Ready?" Oliver asked his wife while they both nocked their arrows again and pointed them towards the rubble

Nyssa gave a small nod and right when she did, they both released their arrows after activating them. The four explosive arrows all planted themselves in the middle of the rubble and on impact, they all exploded. The rubble broke into smaller bits, which became easy for the stronger men of the crowd to move away. Within the next thirty seconds, the crowd was pouring out of the stadium and outside to safety. Oliver and Nyssa created another exit with their explosive arrows and helped evacuate more people.

Soon, all of the people were out of the colosseum and outside where they were safe. Robert, Adrian, Oliver, and Nyssa all met up with each other in the middle of the colosseum in an area that had just been occupied by thousands of fans.

"Who do you think planted the explosives?" Oliver asked

"We have an enemy that we have just…rediscovered and we believe that he planted these explosives as a message, not a threat to kill the innocent" Robert replied "Who are you exactly….someone with your skill and…experience in the field doesn't just show up"

Oliver's world seemed to shatter when the Green Arrow said this. That was something his father said to someone he was talking with at the office when Oliver was only twelve. He was playing in his father's office while his father was talking to one of this board directors who was brand new to the team and he remembered his father saying that. Oliver had liked it so much that he even started saying it at school, and he felt so important saying that

"R-Robert Queen….you're the Green Arrow…?!" Oliver muttered

"W-W-What….?!" Robert questioned while Adrian almost seemed to panic

"Y-You're the Green Arrow…but how?! You are so old and your body is starting to shut down. Why are you still doing this?" Oliver asked

"Who the hell are you exactly and why are you questioning my identity?!" Robert demanded

Oliver glanced over to Nyssa, who gave him a small nod and from what he could tell, a smile from underneath her veil. Oliver turned back towards his father and slowly moved to take off his hood. He slid his mask down around his neck, then pulled his hood back to reveal his identity to his father's doppelganger

"Because I know you….you were my father…in another place" Oliver muttered

"O-O-Oliver….!?" Robert gasped "W-What the hell…my son…what are you doing trying to take up the mantel?!"

"I am not your son. My name is Oliver Queen, but I am from another place" Oliver tried

"What do you mean another place? You look EXACTLY like my son and almost behave just like him!"

"I am from another earth" Oliver said, making Robert go quiet

"Another…w-what…?!"

"Look, there isn't time to explain. If you want more information, call Star Labs in Central City and request to talk to Dr. Harrison Wells about the First World Arrow. He will know what that means and he'll direct you from there" Oliver started "We need to leave before someone sees us"

Oliver quickly put his mask and hood back up, then looked towards Nyssa, who was nocking a cable arrow but had it pointed towards the ground while she waited for her husband

"H-how…this is all so…strange…..my son makes a dramatic life change….and then I meet, what, his doppelganger?!" Robert chuckled

"I had something to do with your son's change. Just ask him about the Gambit crash and he'll tell you exactly who I am and where I come from"

"Why aren't you telling me this if anyone should?"

"Because you need to learn to trust others. Trust your son, trust your team no matter how small it is, and for goodness sakes, trust other fighters to help you in your battle so they can take the mantel when you decided to step down from being…him" Oliver replied "We all must leave. The authorities are coming. The sirens are approaching"

Both teams of vigilantes knew what that meant, so no matter how confused either of them were, Nyssa and Robert both shot cable arrows towards the outside of the colosseum and used them to get away. This time, Oliver held onto Nyssa's shoulders as she zipped away on the cable.

Little to Nyssa's knowledge, her pocket which contained her father's letter had been open and when she took to the air, the letter fluttered out of her pocket and back towards the stage of the colosseum.

-(=+=)-

Authorities swarmed the inside of the stadium, talking to whoever they could. Nyssa Amina had just finished telling the police what she knew about the attack, hoping that they would find the scum bag who attacked innocent people, and was now left by herself, walking on the stage and looking out at all the damage caused.

Amina was blindly looking out at where a crowd of thousands stood less than an hour ago, but stopped when she heard her foot crunch down on something. She picked her foot up and looked down at what she had stepped on; a piece of paper that looked to have fancy writing on it.

Amina unfolded the paper and started reading down the note, hoping to find out what it was. As she read, she slowly started to realize that whoever this letter belonged to, it was incredibly important to them. They must have lost it in the chaos was Amina's initial thought, which also happened to be the one she followed.

She quickly ran to her dressing room behind the stage and picked up her phone from a small table. Amina typed a couple things in a message box, then hit send. Hopefully, she would be able to find the owner of this letter and return it to them. After all, losing something this precious could destroy a person….and she would know.

-(=+=)-

"I don't even know what to think of life anymore!" Nyssa exclaimed as she and Oliver walked into the cortex

When the walked inside, they both saw Wells, Cisco, William, and Jesse all standing around a TV, watching a news report

"Oh thank goodness you guys made it back!" Jesse explained as she ran over towards the two "My friend and I got stuck in really bad traffic and weren't able to make it to the concert, but when my dad called me and told me about the attack, I was stuck and I couldn't get to the colosseum because my friend didn't know I was Jesse Quick and-" Jesse started, but Oliver cut her off

"It's alright Jesse. Everything has been handled and everything's alright. We took care of it"

"Oh thank you! Thank you so much!"

"How many casualties?" Oliver asked

"Sixteen dead and fifty eight injured…numbers increasing" Wells replied

"This is just awful. Who in their right mind would attack innocent people like this?!" Jesse asked, clearly enraged by such actions

"I'm not sure, but I'm positive that whoever it is will be in for a treat when they're caught" Oliver smirked, thinking about his father's doppelganger and team

Jesse was about to say something in reply, but then her phone gave a small buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out and quickly started reading what was on screen. She seemed shocked by what she was reading, and the told everyone else.

"Nyssa Amina is giving her statement on the attack to all the victims in a tweet, but that's not all she said" Jesse reported

"What else did she say?" Cisco asked

"A note was found at the colosseum after the attack. Apparently it belongs to a fan and it seems like it holds a lot of sentimental value. She's looking to return it to the rightful owner, but will only return it to the person who gives her an exact description on what the letter or note is saying" Jesse replied

"Hopefully she finds whoever lost the note. I can't imagine what that person who lost it is feeling right now" Oliver replied

"I agree, that must really-" Nyssa started as she put her hands in her pockets, but then stopped mid-sentence when she realized something

"Nys? What's wrong?" Oliver asked as he watched his wife quickly fidget with her pockets as if she was looking for something

"No no no no no…..this can't be happening…" Nyssa muttered as she reached her hand into the side of her boot, hoping to find something she lost

"What? What can't be happening?" Cisco asked

"The note….it's gone! I can't find it!" Nyssa said as she buried her head in her hands "It's gone…"

"Hey, what's gone?" Oliver asked as he moved his wife's hands

"That letter that Amina found…it belongs to me!"


	19. Failed Illusions

"What do you mean that note belongs to you?" Oliver asked

"I mean exactly what I said…maybe I put it in my other boot" Nyssa replied while jumping up on one foot and reaching into her boot where she usually kept an extra dagger

Oliver, Cisco, Wells, Jesse, and William all watched Nyssa desperately trying to find the note while hobbling around on one foot. She eventually went back to standing on two feet and tried looking in the hidden pockets of her armor, but didn't find the note

"Amina says that whoever can tell her exactly what's on the note can meet up with her in order to get it back. Maybe you should tell me what the note says so we can see if she actually has it" Jesse said from the side

"It's a note from my father that was written to his dead daughter apologizing for what he put her through as a child" Nyssa replied

"W-wait, that's what you found at Lenora's…that note was what you just finished reading when I called" Oliver concluded, receiving a nod of confirmation from Nyssa "Why are you bringing it out on the field?"

"Good luck charm as you Americans call it" Nyssa replied

"Okay, I just sent the message to Amina telling her about the note" Jesse started "Man, I would get bragging rights with my friends for sure if this note did belong to you and Amina actually replied"

"For now, let's just worry about getting the note back" Wells replied

"Maybe she doesn't have the note and it's just sitting in the colosseum where we were sitting. Maybe it fell out of my pocket before that side collapsed" Nyssa said hopefully

"It's possible"

"No freaking way!" Jesse said in a shocked tone with a little jump after a few minutes "Amina actually replied to the message I sent! She says that she does have your note!"

"Damn it!" Nyssa muttered under her breath, catching Oliver's attention

"Aren't you happy we found the note?" Oliver asked

"Yes, I am but I'm pissed of that it's with Amina"

"And why's that?"

"Because this means that I have to meet up with her and then I have to explain why I look exactly like her and then I've got a doppelganger to worry about like you do with yours and your father's. I can't handle all that, especially with the league!"

"What about using an illusion like you did when we were meeting up with my doppelganger?"

"I don't know what's going on, but I was just barely holding that illusion up. Perhaps it has something to do with being on a second earth, but using the abilities for an extended period of time isn't the smartest idea since they're so unstable"

"Ah yes! That is to be expected!" Wells pipped up, grabbing Oliver and Nyssa's attention "Each Earth vibrates at a different frequency, which means that everything and everyone on this earth also vibrates at a different frequency. You got your powers from Earth 1 and that's where you learned to use them, so you're used to Earth 1 vibration patterns in the things you manipulate. Using elements at a different would be harder to control because you wouldn't be used to the patterns"

"Can't you just create some gloves like Cisco's so that she can use her abilities?" Oliver asked

"Not really. Her powers don't come from the dark matter, which means that her cells aren't modified. Without the modification, I can't make the glove" Wells replied

"Amina says that she can meet you guys at the dance studio on eighth in two hours" Jesse pipped up

"Two hours to figure something out, that's not too bad" Oliver replied, but then looked over to Jesse "Wait, can't you just go get the note?"

"Believe me, I'd love to come but Amina is probably going to want specifics on the note to make sure she's giving it to the right person" Jesse replied

"Damn, she's smart too…" Nyssa muttered "I'm going to go try and figure something out so I can get that note back"

"Why don't we come with you and help you figure something out?" Oliver said when William was by his side

"I appreciate the offer, but I can work better alone" Nyssa replied as she walked out of the cortex

"Are you sure we shouldn't try to help her, Dad?" William asked

"Yeah, it's best to just let her figure this stuff out on her own, especially when it involves the sword powers" Oliver replied "So in the meantime, do you want to go take a walk outside? Maybe hit the park and see if there's some ice cream there?"

"Sure! Can I get a triple scoop?" William asked excitedly

"I don't see why not, but it fascinates me how you can eat all that ice cream and not feel sick afterwards" Oliver chuckled

"It's either a lot of practice or I'm a meta" William laughed "When I get on the field, I challenge the thugs to an ice cream eating contest and they'll all curl over from a stomach ache then all I have to do is cuff them! It's the perfect plan!"

"And how exactly would you bring all that ice cream?"

"I dunno, a wagon maybe?"

"A wagon?"

"Okay, maybe a side bag or something"

"I think you will need to develop your plan a bit more before going out into the field with it"

"Fair enough, but it will be great!"

-(=+=)-

"Nys? Nys are you in here?" Oliver called as he walked through a hallway "We've got to get going if you want to get your father's note back"

Oliver was about to turn into a workshop when he heard a small splash from the speed lab. Naturally, Oliver followed the echo and when he walked inside the speed lab, he saw Nyssa wringing water out of her hair. Oliver looked down at the floor and saw two large buckets which looked to have been filled with water. Now it appeared that all the water was in a puddle on the floor of the lab

"Might I ask what you're doing?" Oliver asked as he approached his wife "Any why you're soaking wet?"

"I've been trying to increase the amount time I can control an illusion by working with water. Fire didn't seem like a good idea indoors and water just isn't the same…as you can tell by the floor and my wet hair" Nyssa replied "What have you been up to?"

"William and I walked down to the park and got some ice cream. Earth 2 ice cream is actually a lot different and a lot different than the stuff we've got" Oliver replied with a small laugh

"That sounds nice. While you guys were out doing that, I've figured out that ever so conveniently, illusion is the hardest to control on another earth!"

"What's your longest with the illusion?"

"A minute and thirty two seconds"

"That's not enough time to get the note and get out" Oliver started "What about a partial illusion, like just changing your hair color or something?"

"Are you telling me to go blonde?" Nyssa smirked while trying not to laugh

"Yes and no?" Oliver smiled before pulling his wife into a quick kiss "I mean, you'd look beautiful either way"

"Well then I guess I'm going blonde for a full minute and a half" Nyssa smiled "So when do we have to leave?"

"That's actually why I came to find you. We should get going if we want to get there on time"

"Okay then. I'll clean this up, get changed, and meet you down in the cortex"

"Sounds good to me. See you down there"

As Oliver left, Nyssa wrung out the rest of the water in her hair, then wiped up the rest of it that had fallen on the ground in failed attempts to just hold it in the air. When all that was taken care of, Nyssa walked to the other side of the room and got changed out of her wet armor and into some more normal looking clothing. With an extra towel she had, Nyssa dried the rest of her hair, then walked down to the cortex. She didn't see William and Jesse so she assumed that they were off doing other things. What did catch her attention was Cisco and Wells cutting and measuring some black and dark blue fabric.

"Might I ask what you're doing?" Nyssa asked as she approached

"Oh nothing much, just putting together a new prototype for Ralph's suit. Do you like this color scheme?" Cisco asked

Nyssa looked down and saw that they were mostly working with black and dark blue while there were different shades of silver scattered around. There were a couple pieces of dark leather sitting around as well, but Nyssa didn't really pay them anymore attention.

"I think it looks great! Can't wait to see Ralph's reaction to this!" Nyssa replied

"Great! Oliver started walking down to the lobby to see William and Jesse before leaving. They both took a soccer ball out to the fields to kick around for a bit" Cisco stated

"Okay then, thanks for letting me know"

Nyssa walked out of the cortex and into the elevator just down the hallway. While she was waiting for the elevator to touch down on the main floor, Nyssa pulled out her phone and took note of the time; eight forty three in the morning. They were supposed to meet up with Amina around nine at some dance studio. With a little bit of luck, Nyssa believed she would be able to get in and out of studio with the note with only a couple seconds to spare if no new conversation was sparked.

The elevator let out a small ding and Nyssa walked into the main lobby. She saw that there were a few people there, but thankfully they didn't look over in her general direction. Nyssa kept walking until she reached the main doors. She stepped outside and saw Oliver standing at the edge of the stone pathway, looking towards a large area of grass, cheering William on as he kicked a soccer ball into a net set up behind Jesse

"Yes! To your right William! Watch out for her leg!" Oliver shouted excitedly while clapping and whistling

"It seems that I've missed something" Nyssa smiled as she took her place next to Oliver

"Yeah, William's a natural soccer player and he seems to be enjoying it more than he does basketball. Maybe we'll end up with a famous soccer player in our family"

"That would be quite interesting"

Oliver and Nyssa both watched as William weaved in and out of Jesse's blocks and quickly made his way towards her net. William paused for a moment when he was a good distance away, aimed, and then gave the ball a forceful kick. The ball flew straight into the net and William jumped up and down with excitement. Oliver and Nyssa both cheered for their son and Jesse laughed as she gave William a high five.

"You're really good at that William! You should take up soccer instead of basketball!" Jesse said as she picked the ball out of the net

"That would be awesome! I'm not as tall as the other kids on the basketball team so this would seem to be a better fit" William replied, then turned to his approaching father "Hey Dad, can I switch to soccer instead of basketball?"

"We can definitely look into it when we get back home" Oliver smiled "You were fantastic William! Even though this was a small game, I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks Dad!" William smiled "So are you and Mom heading to that dance studio to get Mom's note back?"

"Yes we are. We just wanted to see you before we left" Oliver replied

"That reminds me" Jesse started as she took a slip of paper out of her jean pocket "Here's the address of the studio. If you head down main street just up ahead and take a left and then a right and go straight for about two blocks, you should be able to find your way from there no problem. By the way, Nyssa, your name is Scarlet. I did that to draw less attention"

"And that name hold more significance that you will ever know" Nyssa said with a small laugh "Thanks Jesse"

"Yeah, thank you so much Jesse" Oliver said as he took the paper "So should we get going"

"I suppose so. It would be bad to arrive late" Nyssa replied "See you in an hour buddy"

"Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" William said with a wave

Oliver and Nyssa both waved back, then started walking down the long, stone pathway until they reached a small intersection. Since Oliver knew is way around city streets better, Nyssa let him lead the way. While they were walking, both of them marveled at the tall skyscrapers that seemed to rise high above the clouds. Earth 2 was truly different from Earth 1.

-(=+=)-

"Alright, just around the corner is the entrance to studio so if you really are going to go blonde for this, you might want to get that started" Oliver said when they stopped in an alleyway

"Okay then, here it goes" Nyssa muttered as she took her hand out of her pocket and snapped her fingers

Nyssa brought her hand up over her head like she was pulling her hood down and moved her hand down. As she did, a pale orange light followed close behind and lightened the color of her hair dramatically. When the light faded, Nyssa's hair had turned from a dark brown to a honey blonde. Her eyes color was still the same and so was her face, but the hair color threw Oliver for a loop although he was expecting it.

"I don't think blonde is my color" Nyssa said with a small laugh "Let's go"

Oliver just gave a nod, then he and Nyssa both quickly made their way towards the front entrance to the dance studio. It was quite a nice and modern looking building and from the looks of it, it was a private establishment. Towards the entrance was a woman dressed quite professionally. When she saw Oliver and Nyssa, she quickly walked up to them

"You must be Oliver and Scarlet. Your friend, Jesse, told me that you were the owners of the note Nyssa found" The woman said

"Yes, that's correct" Nyssa replied

"Excellent! Nyssa's just finishing up a rehearsal with her dancers, but you can head back there if you'd like"

"Great, thank you" Nyssa said as she and Oliver both made their way to the main practice area of the studio

When they stepped inside, the sound of instrumental pop music was playing and in front of a large set of mirrors was the famed Nyssa Amina. She was standing in the middle and front of a dancing formation while eight other dancers were behind and at her sides; four on each side. As the rhythm picked up, the backup dancers all struck a pose leaning out to their sides and then Amina did a series of la seconde turns, then the music stopped.

"Good job you guys. Let's call a ten minute break and then get back to it" Amina said as she glanced over towards Oliver and Nyssa, giving them a smile

As the dancers broke away towards the benches where their bags where, Amina walked over to Oliver and Nyssa with a smile on her face

"You must be Scarlet and Oliver" Amina said as she held her hand out "It's really nice to meet you"

"Likewise" Nyssa/Scarlet smiled "Let me just say upfront, thank you for not throwing that note away"

"Don't mention it! It looked important to someone and I couldn't imagine why it would be left on the ground with the other pieces of trash and debris" Amina replied

Amina motioned for Oliver and Nyssa to follow her as she walked over towards the bench. She reached down into her bag and pulled out a thick folder which looked like it held her schedule and concert dates. In the front pocket was the warn piece of parchment, which Amina took out and handed to Nyssa.

"I'm sorry for asking if this is more personal, but this seemed to be written to a deceased daughter. Was this a sibling or a family member?" Amina asked

"Um, no actually" Nyssa started, but then realized she messed up and quickly thought of a way to fix it "I was in a pretty bad car accident around two years ago and the doctors thought I was gone for sure, so my father wrote that and set it in my room. Turns out the doctors were wrong and by the time I had found that note, my father had already passed away from natural causes"

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss" Amina replied sympathetically "May I ask another question about it?"

"Curiosity does seem to get the best of us. I don't see why not" Nyssa said

"The note said you were four when he handed you a sword, six when he made you kill something, nine when he sent you on your first mission and fifteen when he sent you on your first solo mission. What is that all supposed to mean?"

"My father ran a martial arts company and part of the training was to learn how to use a Asian style sword. I picked it up at a very young age since I was trained constantly. When I was six, my father and I found a dying cat outside our shop in the alleyway and it had a broken back and leg. We knew that if we moved it, the cat would be in horrendous amounts of pain, if we left it there it would die a long and painful death, and if we brought it to the vet to try and have the injuries fixed, the cat would be paralyzed. My father showed me how I could quickly end the poor animal's life and so I did because I did not want to see it suffer any longer"

"From the sound of things, it didn't sound like you had an easy child hood"

"Yet it was better than most"

"Well, if you wanted to end things on a happier note, no pun intended" Amina said with a small smile "Do you like dancing?"

"I-erm, I mean for some people it's quite fun but I myself have never been too fond of it. I never know how to move" Nyssa replied

"Well then, let me show you how us singers dance on stage. Perhaps you'll like it since it's more structured"

Before Nyssa could come up with an answer, Amina took her hand and brought her over to the main area of the room while her backup dancers were still getting water.

"Okay! Just follow my steps and you'll find it's incredibly easy!" Amina smiled as the same music started to play

Nyssa didn't know what else to do besides quickly get through it and then race out of there before the illusion wore off. It was getting harder to maintain it and Nyssa suspected she had at the very most, a minute and a half left before she lost her control.

Amina started to mover her feet in to the rhythm and Nyssa followed along. It was a pretty simple pattern once she got the hang of it, then the beat started to pick up and that's when Amina started incorporating hand movements. Nyssa followed along as well and soon, the two Nyssa's were dancing in sync. Oliver watched from the side and couldn't help but scoff that his wife thought she couldn't dance. In his opinion, it wasn't much different from sword fighting which is why it was coming so easy to her when it was in a structured routine

"Okay, this is the harder part! We incorporated some flips and ariels into the routine so you don't have to follow along"

"Are you kidding? I'm not dropping out this far into it!" Nyssa called back

Amina gave a competitive smirk as she and Nyssa did the last few steps into the routine. Based on Amina's arm movements, Nyssa guessed that Amina was going to be doing a back hand spring, so that's exactly what she started doing. When Amina leaned back, Nyssa did the same and did three back hand springs before spinning her body in a cork screw maneuver just to add a bit of flare.

As she launched herself in the air, Nyssa felt a barely noticeable warm breeze and then spotted a faint, pale orange light from her head. Her time was up and now her blonde disguise was gone. Oliver could see it and so could the backup dancers, but Amina was finishing up her cork screw at the same time as Nyssa.

Both Nyssa's landed with their hands in the air in a finishing position. While Nyssa had a look of pure dread on her face, Amina was looking at an exact copy of herself and had a look of shock and confusion on her face.

"Erm..A-are you one of those m-metas that I've been hearing about….?" Amina asked with her voice shaking slightly

"Umm…yes…?" Nyssa replied with her head down "asif alhabib, aietaqadat ymkn 'an tueqad ealaa 'atwal (Sorry beloved, I thought I could hold on longer)"

"la tuqaliq bishan hdha daeunaan mjrd alkhuruj min huna (Don't worry about it. Let's just get out of here)" Oliver replied, then pulled his phone out of his pocket like it just vibrated "Oh shoot, Scarlet, Jesse needs us back at the apartment. Says she's having trouble getting the new heater set up"

"Well, you know Jesse, clumsy girl" Nyssa replied with a small laugh "Looks like we've got to get going! Nice meeting you and thanks for getting the note back!"

Oliver and Nyssa were about to step out of the room when two of Amina's security members stepped in front and blocked their way. Neither of the Earth 1 vigilantes wanted to cause a scene, so they both backed down and turned back towards Amina

"I want answers" Amina growled "Why the hell do you look exactly like me?! From the color of my eyes to the small scar I have on the side of my neck?!"

"Coincidence?" Nyssa asked innocently, but Amina wasn't buying it

"Just give me the god damn truth. I don't have all day" Amina growled "What are you, my doppelganger from another Earth or something?"

"Yeah, that's exactly what I am" Nyssa laughed "Now that you have your answer, I need to go!"

Nyssa motioned for Oliver to come over and as he came to her side, Nyssa stuck her hand out and created a flame from which Nuriel took form. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do. Nuriel started circling around the two, creating a wall of crimson flames around them. Amina, her dancers, and the members of her security team all shielded their eyes and when the glow of the flames disappeared, they found it was just them in the room.

"What the hell just happened?" One of the dancers asked

"I'm not sure, but this might be a silent threat to the tour. They might be the one who set of the bombs at the last concert" Amina replied

"So what do we do? That meta just teleported and put on a disguise so how are we planning on finding them and getting some answers?" Another dancer asked

"Well, one of the things I love most about the twenty first century is twitter and all the followers I've got. Most of them should still be in the city so I bet we can find this….doppelganger" Amina said as she started typing up a post on twitter "There! We'll get our answers soon!"

"Do you want us to keep an eye out for anything?" A security member asked

"Yes, and if you see her again, do not hesitate to bring her to me"

"We'll head out then" The security member said in reply as he and his partner walked out

"So what do we do? Just go back to rehearsal?" A dancer asked

"That's exactly what we do! We have people taking care of this as we speak, the twitter post already has several comments and retweets, and we have a concert in two days" Amina replied

Without any more questions, the dancers and Amina all went back to their rehearsal, but not without the same enthusiasm as they had beforehand, still, it was better than nothing.

-(=+=)-

Oliver and Nyssa both stumbled into the cortex as Nuriel disappeared into the air. Oliver tripped up and fell to the ground while Nyssa caught herself on a stool standing near them.

"I'm really sorry about that! I didn't know what I was thinking in not getting out sooner and I couldn't think of another way to get out of there!" Nyssa apologized as she offered Oliver a hand up

"Hey, don't worry about it. You got the note back and who cares what happened with your doppelganger? Besides, we'll never be seeing her again and if she decided to tell your secret, it wouldn't hurt you in any way since you're from a different earth!" Oliver laughed

"You're right. I don't know what I'm worry about" Nyssa smiled "Again, sorry for the rough landing"

"It's nothing compared to jumping off rooftops in the middle of the night" Oliver replied

"OOooohhh! It sounds like you revealed yourself to your doppelganger! How did that go?" Cisco asked excitedly

"Awful! Glad I'm never seeing her again!" Nyssa laughed

"By the way, what is this lie about not being able to dance? It seemed to me that you could" Oliver smirked

"I was following Amina's dancing. If it was my own, your eyes would be bleeding" Nyssa replied

"Oh I'm sure that isn't true" Oliver said as he kissed his wife's forehead "Now that we've got everything of ours taken care of, we should consider returning to our Star City so William can get back to school"

"Sounds good to me! I'm ready to go back to our normal" Nyssa replied

"Same here!" Cisco said excitedly "Not only did Wells and I finish our little compound project, but we finished my entire project and we can give it to Ralph once we get back!"

"Cool! We'll go gather our things, then meet you back in here so we can get home" Oliver said

Oliver and Nyssa each broke ways to get the few things they had brought with them to Earth 2. Nyssa went up a few floors and got her things from the speed lab while Oliver went outside, found William, then packed the rest of the things with his son. When they had all finished, each member of the Queen family walked back to the cortex, where Wells and Jesse were each standing off to the side waiting to say goodbye.

"It seems like we've got everything" Oliver said after confirming that William and Nyssa were both with him like they were his tiny children, well, one of them was

"Great! Then let's get going" Cisco said as he slipped on his gloves

"Not so fast Ramon!" Wells said "You're forgetting the reason you came here"

Wells pointed over towards a large, Star labs duffle bag that was sitting by the main computer station. Cisco smirked as he picked it up and swung it over his shoulder

"Good luck with that Ramon" Wells smirked "It was nice getting to meet you Queens"

"You as well" Oliver replied "Nice meeting you too Jesse! Don't stop being the amazing speedster and for all of our sakes, please get faster than Barry so we can tease him about it!"

"That sounds like a good reason to get faster" Jesse laughed "I'll be sure to do that. Take care William! I'll always be here in case you want to play another game of soccer!"

"Thanks Jesse! It was really fun hanging out with you!" William waved

"Okay, now that goodbyes are over…." Cisco said as he clenched his fist and created a breach "Our earth awaits!"

The Earth 1-ers and Earth 2-ers (A/N: I don't know what else to call them, lol) all gave their final waves goodbye, then Oliver, Cisco, Nyssa, and William all jumped through the breach. When their feet touched the ground, they all saw that they were in the speed lab.

"That was an interesting trip" Cisco chuckled "Now do you see why I now agree with Wells that you shouldn't mess with doppelgangers?!"

"No, not at all" Oliver chuckled "Nyssa on the other hand…"

"I never want to go back to that earth again…too much drama with me and it doesn't help that my doppelganger is a world famous singer"

"Amen to that sister, my doppelganger was a crime lord before he was killed in front of me" Cisco replied

"Hey, now you can use that as a sob story like Oliver and Barry did" Nyssa laughed "It technically qualifies, right?"

"That was over two years ago when I did that. I think I get a pass, don't I?" Oliver asked

"Not at all beloved" Nyssa said with a playful shove "As long as you keep teasing me about enjoying jumping off cliffs, I will keep bringing this up just to pester you"

"Well then, I guess we have even ground now"

"Hey, do you all want to join me down in the cortex for this extremely formal ceremony of presenting a new suit to a team member?" Cisco asked

"Ceremony? What exactly are you guys doing here?" Oliver questioned

"Come with me and I will show you the way" Cisco said as he extended his hand to Oliver while trying not to laugh

Oliver rolled his eyes with a smile as he, Nyssa and William all followed Cisco down a couple floors and into the cortex. Not to anyone's surprise, they saw Iris, Joe, Caitlin, Barry and Ralph all standing around the area doing random things with the crime detectors that were set up.

"Team Flash, a member and three halves have returned" Cisco said as he made a grand gesture with his arms

"Welcome back almighty vibe" Caitlin mocked "How was the trip?"

"Quite interesting" Oliver and Nyssa both replied in sync

"It was really cool! I met Jesse Quick and we spent the entire trip doing a bunch of really fun experiments, playing soccer, and exploring other cool areas of the lab! We should go again sometime!" William replied

"We'll keep that in mind for when you come and visit again" Barry said

"Well, if we are all done sharing tid bits about the trip, I have some important news to share" Cisco said as he put the Star labs duffle bag he got from wells on a table "I am here to present a new suit to a certain individual on the team!"

"No way! Is Ralph getting a new suit?!" Caitlin asked excitedly as if that's what she had been waiting for

"No actually" Cisco said, puzzling Nyssa slightly "This suit is being presented to the youngest member of Team Flash and Arrow!"

Everyone in the room looked towards William, who also looked confused, but his eyes grew wide when Cisco pulled out a suit that looked almost exactly like what William had designed and showed him just four days ago. It looked like the traditional league armor, but there were so many more personal touches that made it unique for William, like the hood, face covering, and the black, dark blue and silver color scheme

"William….something Queen, I hereby dub thee, The Wolf!" Cisco said excitedly as he handed the suit to William

William looked at the suit with wide eyes and a huge smile across his face. It was even more than he could ever imagine and now he could practically feel the wind rushing through his hair as he ran across rooftops with his Mom and Dad.

"Dad! Can I go try this on?" William asked with a wide smile

"Of course! Let's see just how much of an assassin you look like with a suit on!" Oliver smiled

William ran out of the room with the suit Cisco gave him and as soon as he was out of the room, Cisco looked towards Oliver and Nyssa, partially expecting to be beaten up or yelled at but to his surprise, there was nothing.

"You're not mad at me for making him a suit?" Cisco questioned

"Not at all. Did you see how happy you made him?" Oliver asked "William knows that that he can't go out on the field until he's at least seventeen and his training is complete, but having the suit there will definitely motivate him to work his hardest"

"Good, because there's more to this set up than just the costume" Cisco smirked

"You didn't…." Oliver trailed off with a smirk

"Oh, of course I did. That's why we went to Earth 2" Cisco replied

"Oh my gosh! This is amazing!" William said as he ran into the room

Everyone on Team Flash and Arrow looked towards William and saw him dressed in the black suit which had dark blue and silver accents. No one had noticed before, but on his hood set up, which was similar to the one Nyssa had on her black and red armor, there was a dark silver pin that looked to have a symbol of a wolf.

"I can't believe it! I feel like a real vigilante! I can't wait to get home and train in this!" William said with a small map, making Iris and Caitlin smile

"Well you don't have to wait home to train" Cisco said as he pulled a large case out that looked like a hard gun case that Dig kept his AR-15 in down in the base

Cisco set the case on the table and motioned for William to come over. The young teenager walked over to the table and flipped the two latches up. Without hesitation, William pushed the top up and his eyes widened at what was in the case.

Sitting perfectly in the case was a collapsed, double sided battle axe like the one he had been training with for the past few months, except this one was decorated to match his armor set up. It had a dark handle, dark silver axe heads, and dark blue gemstone décor.

William lifted the axe out of the case and gave a flick to the handle while extending it out in front of him. The other side of the axe popped out and clicked into place. Oliver and Nyssa both watched from a safe distance as William twirled the double sided axe around himself fluently, like he did with his bo staff back at the bunker.

"This is amazing! It's like it was made just for me to fit every little thing I do!" William said excitedly as he stopped twirling the axe

"Yes, that's the point" Cisco chuckled as he approached the boy "So there's a small sheath on the back of your armor that you wouldn't have noticed, but if you flick your axe back into a single blade, then you can slip it right…here and then run without carrying it!"

Cisco helped William get the collapsed axe into the almost invisible sheath on his back, then let him get acquainted to the new weight.

"This is just amazing! Thank you so much Cisco!" William said as he gave the teleporting meta a quick hug "Now when I'm ready to get on the field, I'll already have a costume made!"

"And you get to say you designed it, since you did" Cisco said with a small shrug

"Mom, Dad! Can I train in this when we get back?"

"Well why don't we train here?" Oliver proposed "I believe Mom was going to go up against Caitlin in an ice vs. fire duel and while she's doing that, we can work more on your stances but you can use your new suit"

"Awesome! Can you get in your suit too so it feels authentic?" William asked

"Sure, I don't see why not" Oliver smiled

"Here's an idea!" Barry said "How about we all get into our crime fighting suits and get some good training hours in? Cisco can work with me and Ralph, Iris can work with Nyssa and Caitlin, and Joe can work with you and William if he pleases"

"That sounds like a lot of fun to be honest" Nyssa said in reply

"Great! Everyone, suit up and let's get moving! We've got a productive day ahead of us!" Cisco said as he marched off to get in his own suit just for fun

"This is going to be awesome! It feels like an awesome team up right before a huge battle!" William smiled as he, Oliver, and Nyssa all walked to the side of the cortex to get in their own suits/armor

"Well you might as well think of it that way" Oliver replied "One day, you're probably going to be in some major battle so think of this as your beforehand training with all the allies"

"I can already taste the victory" William smirked

"Remember that taste when Dad's training you because even though he'll be going easy, it will still be a bit hard" Nyssa reminded

"Wait, did you just say Dad could beat me?" William asked in a fake, offended tone "I request-ith a duel-ith against thy father-ith!"

"What's with the 'ith's?" Oliver asked

"I dunno, it just sounds fancy and I like it" William said with a small shrug of his shoulders

"Okay then, why don't we spar instead of having a duel and see what happens from there?" Oliver proposed

"Eh, potato pa-tat-oh, either one is good with me! I just want to use this axe!"

"Okay, but first we should go over the proper forms to make sure you don't hurt yourself, then some warm ups, and then we'll see how you're doing and then go into the sparring session, deal?"

"Deal! Now let's go before the talking wears us all out!" William said as he started running down the hallway towards the speed lab

"Look at us, a whole family of vigilante assassins" Nyssa smiled "Seeing William that happy is just amazing to see"

"I could have never thought almost ten years ago that I would be married to a hot, international assassin and have a son who wants to be a vigilante when he grows up" Oliver chuckled "This is my normal"

"Well its better than having a blonde wife who works at a desk job and having a son who wants to play video games for a living" Nyssa teased "I still don't understand how some Americans can make money off of that!"

"Yes, us Americans do figure out the strangest ways to make money" Oliver laughed "But its home"

"It's definitely home, and the best one at that!"

 **Author's Note: So if you didn't see it already, I posted an upload schedule on my profile. It's probably going to stay like that for a month or so, but I really want to get 'Queens and Assassins' going because I have that entire story already laid out and the updates are really easy to get out since its just a matter of writing the dialogue out. If you're bored and looking for another story to read, it would be great if you could check it out!**


	20. No Escape From Earth II

No word. There hasn't been a single word on Nyssa Amina's 'doppelganger' and she wanted answers. She was still in Central City due to a delayed flight and concert from the outcome of the last, so there was plenty of time to do what she needed to.

Amina walked through the streets of the bustling city with a blonde wig on so she was mostly unrecognizable, especially with her two highlights that were like a spotlight in public. She approached the famous circular building with three slanted pillars that looked like vertical plane wings. Amina was able to get to the front doors without a problem, then stepped up to the front desk, where a African American man stood sorting out some papers.

"Welcome to S.T.A.R labs! How can I help you?" The man asked with a cheery tone

"Hi, I'm hoping you could give this to Dr. Wells" Amina said as she handed the man a small envelope "Can you please let him know it's urgent?"

"I will get this to him straight away" The man replied as he walked out from behind the desk

While the man walked up the stairs to the second level, Amina saw a couch over by the windows and took a seat. From where she was sitting, she could see the lab was bustling with excitement; from kids getting tours to scientist running to opposite ends of the building.

-(=+=)-

"Dr. Wells! There's a woman down in the lobby who asked me to get this to you straight away" The receptionist explained as he entered Wells' lab"

"Very well, just set it on the corner there" Wells said without making eye contact

The man set the white envelope on the corner of Wells' desk, then walked out of the private lab. When he was gone, Wells glanced over at the envelope and broke the seal on it. He pulled out a small piece of paper.

 _I know there are two earths and I know my doppelganger was here in the city. I need to speak with her. Can you help me out?  
-Nyssa Anima_

"Damn it" Wells muttered under his breath

He knew this wasn't something that could be set aside, so he quickly made his way to the first floor of the lab. When he got downstairs, he saw a blonde sitting on a couch patiently, like she was waiting for him. When they made eye contact, the blonde stood up and walked over to him

"I assume you got my note?" Amina asked

"That I did" Wells started "Come with me. We cannot discuss here"

When Amina and Wells were a safe distance away from the crowds, Wells motioned for her to follow him down a more abandoned looking hallway. Amina followed, and soon they were in a large room that looked to have something like a portal frame in the middle

"Is this how you transport in between Earths?" Amina asked while taking off her wig

"How in the hell did you come to the conclusion that there are different earths?" Wells asked

"Apparently your daughter's friend who lost the note looks exactly like me and admitted to being a doppelganger of sorts before disappearing in a fiery blur" Amina started "I may be a singer, but I'm not clueless when it comes to sciences so just tell me the truth"

"I don't need to tell you anything"

"Yet it would be in your best interest to" Amina started, grabbing his attention "You seem to forget that I have the entire media at my fingertips. If I don't get an answer, I can accidently spill the news of S.T.A.R labs hiding revolutionary information. Within the hour, thousands of reporters would be outside begging for answers"

Wells knew that Amina was right, but the extent she would go through to ensure getting an answer surprised him. He didn't know why the hell she would want to talk with Nyssa, but perhaps it's just a girl thing

"You're right. There is another earth. Fifty two others to be exact" Wells started

"And someone that looks just like me popped into this earth to bomb my concert"

"She was not here to bomb your concert. She was here to help a friend, and to see what our earth, Earth 2, had to offer"

"Even if you're telling the truth, I still want to speak with her"

"You know what, this is why I always tell them not to screw with their doppelgangers" Wells muttered "Always getting into trouble"

"So are you going to help me or not?"

"If I help you find Nyssa, then you'll keep this a secret, correct?"

"I will keep my mouth shut until you decide to inform the world on the discovery"

"Okay then, follow me"

-(=+=)-

"Alright, ultimate showdown is about to take place in your local speed lab!" Cisco announced to everyone "We have Oliver, Nyssa, Caitlin, Barry, Ralph, myself and for the first time in history, William!"

Every one of the participants in the tournament that Cisco had arranged was lined up on one side of the lab, dressed in their suits/armor, while the spectators stood off to the side. Oliver was reluctant about letting William compete against the others, but he realized that everyone here would go incredibly easy on him and if by some wild chance he did get hurt, they had a good team of people that could help him. Then again, the team couldn't beat the vial of Eternal Water Nyssa had hidden in her boot.

"So Cisco, my good man" Barry grinned "Who might be competing in the first match?"

"Personally, I was leaning towards…..Ralph verses Nyssa!" Cisco replied

"Cisco, I thought the point of this wasn't to die" Ralph groaned

"I wouldn't kill you Mr. Dibny, after all, you seem like a decent person" Nyssa said while holding back a laugh "And I will refrain from cutting off part of your arm"

"Refrain?! Cisco! Are you the ref because I think she just threatened me!"

"Don't worry, you'll be fine" Cisco said before jumping up and sitting on a table "Alright, will the competitors please take their marks at the lines outside the…fighting circle of doom"

"Fighting circle of doom?" William questioned from the side while he and his dad were trying not to laugh

"Give me ten minutes and I'll think of something better!" Cisco reassured "Anyway, rules! All meta abilities allowed, but to make the fight more fair for Ralph; Nyssa, no weapons"

"What kind of a rule is that?" Nyssa chuckled as she took off her quiver and sword sheath

"One to help me not get killed" Ralph replied

"No promises" Nyssa smirked

Once she had taken all her visible weapons off her, she stood across from Ralph in a fighting stance while he stood tall and waited. As soon as Cisco rang a small bell sitting on the table, Ralph stretched his arms out towards Nyssa in an attempt to trip her up, but she lit both hands up with fire, ducked underneath the stretched arms, and ran the tips of her fingers across Ralph's stretched flesh. He immediately pulled back after feeling his flesh being roasted, but quickly regretted it when Nyssa jumped up and did a round house kick in front of him. Instead of being hit by her leg, a powerful gust of wind pushed him out of Cisco's 'fighting circle of doom'.

"You win…." Ralph said with his head spinning "I think I'm seeing triple"

"Sorry about that" Nyssa said while offering him a hand up "Fire's my strong suit. I don't work with air often"

"Yes, I can tell"

"Okay then! Nyssa takes that fight!" Cisco said while shuffling names around in a bracket he created "Next up is Caitlin and Oliver!"

"Yeah! Go Dad! You can totally take her!" William cheered while Nyssa gave him a reassuring smile

"Give him hell Cait!" Barry cheered with Iris, Joe, and Ralph

"I feel cheated" Oliver chuckled "How are you going to limit me today Cisco?"

"Rules for your match are….no head shots for either of you!" Cisco announced "Other than that, just do whatever and make it look good!"

Oliver and Caitlin both stepped into the fighting circle and readied themselves. Oliver got his bow ready and made sure he had easy access to his arrows while Caitlin's eyes flashed a pale blue before her entire appearance changed into Killer Frost

"That looks so cool!" William said from Nyssa's side

"It's even scarier when it's up close and personal" Nyssa replied

"You guys sparred, didn't you?"

"Yeah, a couple times actually. It was quite enjoyable getting to spar with another…meta"

"I bet!" William started "If by some wild chance I become a meta, can we spar?"

"I hope you never become a meta. Not because they aren't cool or anything, but because it's a lot more dangerous than Barry and his team mates make it seem"

"So just stick with the axe for now?"

"That would be preferred" Nyssa smiled

While they had been talking, Oliver and Caitlin had been exchanging attacks and dodging the others. At the moment, Caitlin had the upper hand, but she was going a bit hard on Oliver considering he was using a bow and arrow to fight her off.

"Use the arrowheads beloved!" Nyssa called from the side

Oliver instantly remembered the arrowheads in his bracer and started calling himself an idiot in his head. They weren't enough to inflict any harm, but they would definitely disorient her. Oliver drew an arrowhead from his bracer and threw it towards Caitlin. She dodged the line of attack from that one, but had to do the same right after. While she was ducking and dodging, Oliver snuck around her and found an opening. Before she could react, Oliver gave a swift but painless hit to her side, making her stumble to the ground

"WOAH! Green Arrow takes the win this round! Who'd thought that would have happened!" Cisco said in shuck while recording the information

"Good match Caitlin" Oliver said while offering her a hand up

"Yeah, and next time I'll be sure to keep an eye out for the arrowheads" Caitlin smirked before going back to Team Flash

"C'mon ladies and gents! The bracket must continue!" Cisco called "And next up we have…"

-(=+=)-

"So this is the famous Cortex" Amina said as she entered the lab room in the very center of the laboratory "It's quite beautiful"

"Thank you, but you're not wanting to stick around to find out how the rest of the lab looks" Wells asked, receiving a shaking head from Amina

"I am very interested in what you do here, but right now I'd like to focus on finding the person who was responsible for attacking my concert"

"Don't you have a security team or other people to do this for you?"

"I do, but when my doppelganger attacked the concert and the fans, they attacked me and not my staff. If I want to get justice, then I have to do it myself"

"Strong words you have there" Wells commented "Just like Earth 1 Nyssa"

"Why is it that their earth is referred to as Earth 1 while ours is Earth 2?"

"Each earth vibrates at a different frequency and they are ordered by the amount of vibrational waves that are emitted. Earth 1 has some of the lowest while Earth 52 has the highest"

"You said there were 53 earths"

"We don't talk about the 53rd earth"

"And why's that?"

"Because it's an alternate world where the Nazis won the war…not a good earth and it never will be"

"Can't you just go in and fix it?"

"It's not our place to interfere. We all have roles and must abide by them in order for our lives to play out properly. That earth has certain things that happen to it for a reason that only time will reveal"

"That was pretty deep, even for a scientist"

"I had some help from some friends on Earth 1 with that explanation"

"Hey Dad? Are you in here?" Jesse called from the hallway before walking into the cortex with her speedster suit on with the mask down "I'm heading out to do my practi-…is that Nyssa Amina?!"

"You must be Jesse, the one who sent my doppelganger to retrieve that note" Amina said as she approached the older teenager "Tell me, was that note actually hers?"

"Yes it was. She was incredibly sadden by it's loss and was about to do anything to get it back" Jesse replied confidently "Please tell me that if my Dad has you up here then you'd be willing to keep my little secret?"

"I've already got several to worry about, but you're secret's safe with me" Amina smiled "So how do I get to this other earth?"

"We open a thing called a breach and then all you have to do is jump through. When you land, you'll find yourself in a similar but completely different world so don't be surprised" Wells replied

"Oh, I'm going right now?"

"Yes, unless you had other plans"

"No, no, I'm good" Amina reassured "I just want to get this all done and over with"

"Fair enough, follow me and Jesse, why don't you come with" Wells said

Both Jesse and Amina followed Wells down the curved hallway until they reached a large room with a platform off towards the back. There were some large, metal contraptions hanging from the ceiling, most likely to stabilize the breach. Wells pressed a few buttons on a control panel, then the machines let out a very soft hum before a watery portal appeared in front of the small group

"Okay, all you have to do is jump through and there will be people on the other side waiting for you" Wells said

"And don't worry! They're all super nice and I have no doubt that you'll have no trouble finding Nyssa" Jesse said

"I'm Nyssa" Amina said

"Okay, you're Nyssa the second while Earth 1 Nyssa is Nyssa the first. It's all a matter of vibrations though so don't worry about it" Jesse smiled

"Good to know" Amina said before turning towards the breach "So I just….jump through?"

"That's exactly what you do!" Wells said

"Good luck Amina! You'll do fantastic!" Jesse waved

Amina took one last glance at the Central City speedster and genius, then started walking up towards the portal. She stuck one hand out and felt a chill coming from the portal, but it was kind of inviting. She reached her hand in further and before she knew it, she was being pulled through a tunnel of memories. Amina shut her eyes for a brief second, then felt her feet his the ground. She opened her eyes and discovered that she was in a breach room very similar to the one on her earth, but a bit more tidy.

Amina's natural curiosity got the best of her and she started walking out of the breach room. She walked down the hallway and was met by the dead silence filling the laboratory. She stopped several times to see if she could hear anyone or anything, but to no prevail. Amina kept walking for around fifteen minutes before she stopped again. This time when she stopped, she could hear the faint sound of cheering and metal hitting against metal. Amina immediately perked up and followed the noise

When she got outside the large room where the sound of cheering was coming from, she barely had to peek her head in to know that there was a sparring match going on. Great! What better time to play ninja when all those people in there either have weapons or are a weapons themselves.

"You're never going to beat me Barry" Cisco teased as he jumped into another breach behind him and appeared behind Barry

"Oh I will, just give me one…." Barry trailed off "Second!"

As soon as Barry said second, he snatched the collar of Cisco's suit and looked straight at him

"I told you I would win" Barry smirked "Write it on the bracket!"

Cisco laughed slightly before jumping back on the table and recording the fight. While this was going on and the others seemed occupied by each other's company, Amina stuck her head into the doorway and quietly started walking to the other side of the room where there was an amazing hiding spot that also offered a view of all the fights. When she was started to walk over there, she only had to take around three steps before Nyssa turned around and saw Amina right there

"Well look who it is! It's the doppelganger who tried to bomb the colosseum" Amina said

"A-a-amina?! Nyssa stuttered upon seeing her doppelganger. This was definitely not something she wanted to deal with at the moment but yet here she was, being shown on a silver platter

-(=+=)-

"Jesse! Jesse!" Wells called in the lab

"You called Dad?" Jesse asked after whizzing up to her father in the blink of an eye

"Yes, you need to suit up. There's a threat on the streets and it seems the cops can't handle it"

"Normal or meta?"

"Meta, and it isn't a he nor is it one person"

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked a tad nervously

"Three women who have an extremely special meta ability are trying to take over a bank. I need you to deal with it before cops get hurt"

"Right away Dad! I'll keep my coms on!" Jesse replied

In the blink of an eye, Jesse was now dressed as Jesse Quick and then secured a com in her suit. Before whizzing off again, she gave her dad a quick kiss on the cheek

When Jesse arrived at the scene, she saw several hostages all tied up, several cop cars pulled up to the sides, and a couple of cars crashed towards the side. She immediately walked up to a police chief and gave a tap on the shoulder

"What can I do to help?" Jesse asked in a modulated voice

"Draw the attention of the metas while we get the hostages" The police replied

Jesse gave a small nod, then broke off from the group of cops and into the back entrance of the bank. She walked inside and when she did, she saw three woman all standing in the middle of the room, also where some hostages were. All these women looked pretty different, except for what different colors they were wearing.

"Oh look sisters, Jesse Quick has come to save the say" The eldest, and leader, mocked

"I suppose she would like to help us with our project?" The middle one asked, but still a bit annoyed

"Whoever you three are, you're causing a problem and you need to turn yourself into the police"

"You are truly rather stupid if you think we're just going to follow you out to get arrested" The youngest said

"Sisters, enough arguing" The eldest said "We just need to show her what we're capable of"

Before Jesse could respond to them or make a run for it, the three sisters all started to sing a beautiful melody that sounded like it was sung up the most spirited sirens. Jesse found herself drawn towards these sisters and if she stood a chance, she had to keep her distance so she wasn't affected

"Jesse! Don't listen to their song! They're like sirens. They pull you in but you never come out! You need to get away from them if you want to get away!" Wells said over the coms, snapping Jesse out of the trance she was in

When she looked up, she saw that the voice had stopped but to her surprise, the three sisters weren't standing their anymore, like they completely disappeared.

"They're gone dad…" Jesse said "I'm going to help the cops with everything"

"Good. I'll work on tracking these metas so they can't hurt anyone else" Wells said "You should get home as well"

"Okay then, be home soon!"

-(=+=)-

"Sisters, we're here" The eldest announced

"This is was too easy" The middle one replied "I don't see why we needed to make a big deal in the city. Our doubles just needed to be seen while we've in here"

"Don't worry, the method to my madness has a purpose" The eldest smirked "S.T.A.R. labs has been working on the project we've needed access to for the past ten years. Today's finally the day where we'll find out what his greatest discovery is and take it for ourselves"

"Then what are we waiting for, let's go through it" The youngest said while gesturing to the open breach

"Patience Harmony, this is a delicate process" The eldest warned "If we mess this up, then we risk losing our lives. We've come too far for that to be the outcome"

"Well put Arabesque" The middle said "Are you going first?"

"Yes, I suppose I am" Arabesque replied as she approached the breach "Just like we discussed; keep a clear mind and then we'll be home free"

Arabesque reached her hand out and felt the chill from the portal, but was then drawn towards it and it pulled her in. The other two sisters, Harmony and Melody, both took a moment to debate whether who should go first. Seeing as she was the second oldest, Melody did the same as Arabesque and was pulled into the portal. Harmony was the last to go through and when her feet touched the ground, she looked up and saw her two sisters waiting for her

"Sisters, welcome to Earth 1" Arabesque smirked

 **Author's Note: And this is the start to another arch/conflict in the story! Sorry for the shorter chapter, but I wanted to properly introduce everything/everyone before getting too deep into the growing conflict**


	21. Spell Of The Sirens

"A-amina…" Nyssa stammered "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"To see you" Amina started

"Um, who is this?" Barry asked before realizing "Wait a minute, it's Nyssa's doppelganger. Why is she on our earth?!"

"Quite a simple explanation really" Amina started "Your earth's Nyssa set several bombs off at my concert. I'm here to get justice for those who died at your hand"

"I didn't bomb your concert" Nyssa replied

"Really? Because I seem to recall on the news that two strange vigilantes, besides the normal two, were spotted at the crime scene. I saw you there, and what you're wearing just confirms it"

"I was at the concert, but I did not bomb it. I have no reason to"

"I never said you did, but what can I expect from a power crazed meta?"

"Crazed meta?" Nyssa chuckled "There is too much you don't know"

"Then why don't you explain it to me?!"

"Because you don't need to know anything" Nyssa said while stepping forward "Go back to Earth 2 and focus on finding the actual attacker"

"Not until I get some answers on why you came to my earth in the first place!"

"She's just a stubborn as you were back when we first met" Oliver whispered

"It wasn't this bad" Nyssa groaned while pinching the bridge of her nose "You know what, Amina, come with me"

As Nyssa walked past Amina, she peeled off from the side and followed close behind. Is was visible to everyone in the room that their Nyssa was pissed beyond belief, so they just did their best to stay out of it.

"Mom seems more pissed off than she was when some rookie blew their cover in Algeria" William commented

"William! Language!" Oliver scolded, making William flinch a bit

"Sorry, but mad didn't really cut it"

"You're right there. A whole other word would be needed to describe what Mom's thinking" Oliver replied

-(=+=)-

Amina walked close behind Nyssa, hoping that she would be getting some answers as to why she was on Earth 2, what she was doing at the concert, and why the hell she was dressed up like an assassin with a freakishly large sword on her back. They were still walking when Amina realized where they were going; the breach room

"I'm just letting you know, I'm not going back to my earth until I'm given some answers" Amina stated confidently

"You might not go willingly, but you will go with the right amount of motivation" Nyssa said coldly without looking over at her

"Really? How so?"

"See that dagger on my right thigh"

"Yeah"

"It won't be in its sheath for long"

"Oh…um…you'd do that?"

"I have no problem doing what's necessary"

"Then I guess we're in the same boats. I want answers and you're the only one who can give them to me" Amina said "And I will not leave until I know why the hell you bombed my concert or why you were even there in the first place!"

"God you are so aggravating!" Nyssa said in a very annoyed voice "You want answers, fine. You have one minute to ask all the questions you want and then we're done"

"And you will answer truthfully"

"Yes, and that was your first question and eight seconds gone"

"Okay! Why did you come to the concert?"

"Curiosity"

"Did you bomb the concert?"

"No"

"Who did?"

"Ask the Green Arrow and his sidekick"

"How do you know Dr. Wells?"

"You're walking in another S.T.A.R labs. Figure it out"

"Why are you dressed like an assassin?"

"Because I'm an international assassin"

"Why?"

"Because I was trained to be"

"By your father, who was the man who wrote the note?"

"Yes"

"So what are you doing now?"

"Running a league of nine hundred other assassins, traveling around the world stopping threats, and acting as a mother as well as a husband"

"And your husband is…Tarren?"

"No. Oliver Queen"

"Wait, Oliver Queen?! The playboy from my earth?!"

"Your minute is long past gone"

"C'mon! You have to give me more than that!" Amina begged "One more minute!"

"Fine" Nyssa said after a moment of silence. She didn't want to admit it, but this was actually a bit fun for her hearing her doppelganger so desperate for answers.

"So how did you fall in love with a playboy?"

"He's not a playboy, that's who he was before he was stranded on an island in the North China Sea for over five years. I fell in love with a warrior after everything in my life was ripped away"

"I'm guessing you've been married a long time. That boy dressed in black and blue looked a little like Oliver"

"He's Oliver's child, but not mine"

"Wait, he cheated on you?!"

"He was in college at the time and I didn't know him. He thought the mother miscarried so he left it alone, but it turns out William was born and he was living a life in secret with his mother for around twelve years before Oliver found out. After his mother died, Oliver took him in and around a year later, I married Oliver and William became my son"

"That's quite a heartwarming story" Amina smiled

"My turn to ask the questions" Nyssa said with a small smirk "Your last name is supposed to be Raatko. Where did Amina come from?"

"Well my mother died when I was thirteen and I was left with my father. He's just a drunk comedian and I'm embarrassed to be related to him. When my career first took off, his reputation was stopping me from getting more record deals so I decided to cut off my ties with him. I legally got my last name changed to my mother's maiden name and I haven't seen him since!"

"Quite an interesting tale you have there" Nyssa started "Where did you get those two highlights?"

"Why, are they familiar?"

"Very"

"I see. They were just going to be temporary for a music video, but after they were in, I really liked them so I got my hair dyed this way permanently" Amina started "How are they familiar to you?"

"I was taken to the 'world' between ours and the afterlife. I met an old spirit who helped me form the league, then when I left the place, I had highlights exactly like those in my hair; however, they disappeared when the spirit's job was done"

"I have another question for you, and I think this is the last one" Amina started "Can you teach me how to defend myself? Like hand to hand combat?"

"I'm sorry, what? Why would you need to? You have an entire security team"

"That's the point. I have too many security members, it costs a lot of money and space, and if people really want to hurt me, I'd rather teach them a lesson myself rather than being seen as a coward"

"That is definitely something my doppelganger would say" Nyssa said with a slight smile "Why me?"

"Because then you won't get a bunch of publicity for training me, and it won't be able to spread all over the internet because we're on a different earth"

"Um, you're not staying here"

"Never planned on it. I'm just hoping that you can teach me a few things before I go back to my own earth"

"And you're going to drop this whole search for the attacker?"

"No, I'm going to talk to the cops and see how I can help. If you didn't bomb the concert, then that means the person who did is still on my earth"

"Wait, who helped you get here anyway?"

"Dr. Wells and his daughter, Jesse. She's a nice girl, and quite a brave one for going out as Jesse Quick every day to fight crime. It makes me really happy to meet fans like her"

"Meta fans you mean?"

"No, fans that devote themselves to something and persevere even when things seem impossible; but her being a meta makes it even cooler" Amina said "Say, do you want to not use a knife to get me through that breach and instead go get a coffee or something?"

"You want more answers, don't you?"

"There's a lot of explaining to do"

"Okay, fine" Nyssa replied "But we're not going out to get a coffee. It's almost ten o'clock at night and I'm not that desperate"

"Huh, guess you guys have different times than we do on Earth 2. When I jumped through, it was around eleven in the morning"

"This multiverse thing is weird" Nyssa muttered "Just follow me. I know a place"

"And where is this place?"

"Are you afraid of heights?"

"I don't think so, but I guess we'll find out"

"Good, because we're going up to the roof!"

"Is it a clear night?" Amina asked a bit excitedly

"I believe so"

"Yes! Perfect! Show the way!"

"Okay then, follow me"

-(=+=)-

"So what's the plan Arabesque? " Melody asked from where she was sitting on top of a crate

"We're sticking with the original. We've already completed phase one, and with great easy might I add" Arabesque smirked "Nyssa didn't see a thing"

"How was she supposed to?" Harmony asked "She was so occupied with her main dancers that she didn't even notice the backups slip out right before the show started!"

"C4 was quite a good idea. Great job coming up with that Melody" Arabesque said

"Not a problem. It's always a good distraction, as it causes so much chaos that isn't a bad show either" Melody smirked

"Hey Arabesque, I think you should run through this plan one more time, just to make sure we're all on the same page" Harmony said

"Very well" Arabesque replied "Now that Amina is distracted with the concert bombing, we now have about three to four days tops to find the stones here and get back to Earth 2. Once we have those stones, taking Central City out will be a breeze"

"How much are these stones supposed to boost our powers?" Melody asked

"More than any of us could imagine, which is why we need to get them and time is of the essence" Arabesque said before pulling out a phone she lifted from someone after getting out of S.T.A.R labs "Our map should be located at an old museum around eight miles from here"

"Great, then let's get going. Being on a different earth feels weird" Harmony said

-(=+=)-

"Hey Dad, have you seen Mom?" William asked when his dad walked into the room, where he and Cisco were playing blackjack

"Nope. I'm guessing she's trying to get her doppelganger home and out of trouble" Oliver replied "Why?"

"Just haven't seen her in a while. Cisco and I were going to have a poker battle and wanted to know if Mom wanted to join since she really likes playing"

"I bet she'll want to join" Oliver chuckled "I'll go find her"

"Thanks Dad!" William called as Oliver left the room

"William, man, that was a dumb move" Cisco said as he flashed his eyes up from his hand "Now we're both going to lose"

"But mom would split the pot with me so I've got nothing to worry about" William smirked

Oliver wandered around the hallways of the lab and checked all the normal places where Nyssa was, but didn't see her anywhere. Eventually, he wandered into the cortex where he saw Iris and Caitlin talking with each other

"Hey Iris, Caitlin, have you seen Nyssa?" Oliver asked

"Um, no. Not for the last two hours or so" Iris said "Are you looking for her?"

"Yeah. I've looked around in her normal spots and didn't see her there. Is it possible to check the security cameras so I can get a better idea of where to look?"

"Sure thing"

Caitlin got up from the table she was leaning up against and walked over to the computer station. She pulled up all the camera footage and did a quick sweep of what was displayed. Most of them were normal until she got to the one that showed the roof

"Hey Oliver, did you think to check the roof?" Caitlin asked

"The roof?"

"The roof" Caitlin repeated "She's up there and from the looks of it, her doppelganger is up there too"

"Okay, thanks Caitlin" Oliver said before walking out

Oliver walked down the hallway of the floor he was on and got into the elevator. He pressed the button labeled 'roof' and waited for a few moments. When the elevator let out a ding, the doors opened and Oliver saw he was in a small room of sorts. Right in front of him was a door that he assumed led outside. He pushed open the door and was immediately hit by the warm, late summer air. It was already dark outside and the stars could be seen from where he was at. Oliver stopped observing the scenery when he heard two identical voices up ahead

"So wait, here on your earth, Tarren's a trainer for the mayor's security detail in Star City?!" Amina said while holding back a laugh

"Yeah, and to make it more relatable to you, he has hit on me multiple times" Nyssa laughed "Each time got him a swift slap on the head with a bo staff"

"Well played indeed, but Tarren's not that big of an idiot on my earth" Anima started "He's actually one of the people that helps out with the financial part of being a pop singer"

"Definitely not the Tarren I know"

"Hey Nyssa" Oliver called as he started walking over "I thought you were going to kick Amina into the breach"

"I was, but we decided to get some questions answered before hand" Nyssa replied "And I actually don't regret it"

"Well thanks for that" Amina laughed "How come you guys have a whole squad of vigilantes, a league of assassins, time travelers, and an alien from another earth at your fingertips and I still struggle with finding backup dancers?"

"Uh, I think it's just pure luck with a bit of science" Oliver replied "Anyway, I came up here to ask if you if you'd be interested in joining William, Cisco, and I in a poker tournament, but if you want to stay up here, that's totally fine"

"You know how to play poker?" Nyssa asked

"I'm an average player. Maybe I could pick up some tips?" Amina asked

"Sure, but you should start by asking Oliver for some tips because mine can get kind of confusing" Nyssa warned

"That could be kind of fun" Oliver started, but was stopped when his phone started to vibrate in his pocket "Cancel the idea of playing poker. Barry and Cisco need us all down in the cortex. There's a break in at a museum and from the looks of it, you and I might need to step in"

"I've been dying to beat someone up" Nyssa smirked as she got up from the edge of the roof "You want to come Amina?"

"On the field, hell no. Watch from the cortex, I'd love to"

"Great! Let's go then!"

Amina and Nyssa both followed Oliver back into the elevator and eventually walked back into the cortex, where every crime fighter was dressed and ready to go, even Cisco who wasn't going out on the field

"Okay, glad to see you've all made it!" Cisco said "What's your doppelganger still doing here?"

"We were having a friendly chat on the roof" Nyssa said "So what's going on?"

"Break in at a museum. We were able to spot three females before the cameras cut out" Caitlin replied

"Okay then, Nyssa and I will join as back up"

"Cool, then I guess it's the four of us out there!" Barry said "The best members of Team Flash and Team Arrow, teaming up for an epic night out"

"Don't you start deeming yourself the best 'Mr. I used to where a stretchy sheet as a costume'" Cisco teased "Caitlin and I are obviously the best"

"Amen to that Vibe" Caitlin smirked as she gave her friend a fist bump "Here are your coms, now get out there before this problem escalates"

Oliver quickly put on his suit while Barry, Ralph, and Nyssa all got their coms ready. Amina stood off to the side with William and watched in fascination as the heroes got prepared for a fight. Maybe when her life as a pop star died down, she could pick up something as exciting as this.

-(=+=)-

Arabesque, Melody, and Harmony quietly but quickly made their way through the museum, looking for the map that would lead them to the stones that would boost their powers. They were all dressed in their attire that had marked them as 'The Sirens' just to keep the thread going.

"Alright, split up and find the map. You all know what it looks like" Arabesque whispered to her sisters

"I don't think you'll be splitting up to steal something anytime soon" A modulated voice said from behind the thieves "The only place you're going to is prison"

The three sisters turned around and saw some of this earth's famed heroes; the Flash, the Elongated Man, the Green Arrow, and the Phoenix.

The members of team Flarrow were met by the brown eyes of three, pale skinned, brown haired girls. They all looked pretty similar, so Oliver assumed they were all sisters. Each one of them had distinct differences about them. Arabesque, the leader, had read streaks in her brown hair and wore a black dress with a high low skirt. There were two parts of a red sash that crossed over her mid-section creating an X. In addition to her high low dress, she had on a pair of mid-calf black boots that paired with her dark red leggings. Melody had purple streaks in her hair while instead of having an X for her purple sash, she had in crossing from her left shoulder to the right side of her waist. She also wore black boots with dark purple leggings. Harmony had blue streaks in her hair, a blue sash that cross from her right shoulder to the left side of her waist. Like her sisters, she had dark blue leggings and black boots.

"See, we can't go to prison just yet" Melody teased "We haven't got what we came from"

"Guess you'll have to leave disappointed then" Ralph replied

"Everyone, turn on your body cams so we can see what's going on. These may not be ordinary thieves" Caitlin said over the coms

Subtly, all the members of the team moved to turn their cams on but one member wasn't as subtle as the rest. When Ralph moved to turn on his cam, Harmony spotted it and to everyone's surprise, except her sisters, she grabbed a knife from her sash and threw it into his upper arm. Ralph immediately reached for the knife as soon as it made contact with his skin while his teammates readied themselves for a fight

"What? Did you not think a thief would have knives on them?" Harmony teased

Before anyone could say anything, the three remaining members of Team Flarrow ran towards the sirens, not knowing that they were metas. Barry ran straight towards Melody, Oliver towards Harmony, and Nyssa towards Arabesque. All of them were surprised by the sisters' skills. While the members of team Flarrow threw attacks, they ducked, dodged, and threw their own attacks.

Amina, who was still in the cortex with Caitlin, Iris, Cisco, and William, was leaning over Caitlin's shoulder watching the fight from Oliver's body cam. While she watched his opponent, she felt a sinking feeling in her gut when a clear view of the person finally showed up

"No way…." Amina gasped

"What is it?" Cisco asked

"These thieves, I know them" Amina said

"How so? Are they from your earth?" Caitlin asked, a bit nervously

"Y-yeah…" Amina said "That's Arabesque, Melody, and Harmony. Three of my backup dancers"

"What are they doing here then?" Cisco asked

"I don't know…" Amina questioned "How did they even get to this earth?!"

"I'm not sure, but once we have them in a cell, we'll get some answers" Caitlin reassured

Nyssa ducked underneath on of Arabesque's hits, then weaved behind her and tried to kick her down, but she saw it coming. Arabesque grabbed Nyssa's leg before it could hit her and twisted it to the ground, making Nyssa stumble and fall. She quickly drew her knife from her thigh, got up, and started swinging at Arabesque. She did her best to dodge, but wasn't keeping the offensive for long. Eventually, she was able to confuse Nyssa for just a moment, then slip back.

"Sisters, I believe it's time we pick this fight up a bit!" Arabesque called

As soon as she said this, Melody and Harmony broke off from their fights and joined Arabesque a fair distance away from the members of team Flarrow. Nyssa, Oliver, and Barry all started to run towards them, but before they could, Arabesque started to sing. It was unlike anything any of them had heard before, and it was beautiful, almost luring. Melody and Harmony joined in with an accompaniment, making she song even more beautiful.

When the sirens could see their opponents had fallen under their spell, they quickly changed the pace of the song and made it more deadly. The three Flarrow members covered their ears from the sudden change and felt themselves weakening from the song.

"Gah…C-cisco…Caitlin…what's going on?!" Oliver said over the coms

"We're not sure, it's like the song of the sirens in old legends. It lures victims to their deaths!" Cisco replied frantically "Just try to resist!"

Arabesque saw that the song had done it's damage and motioned for her sisters to stop. Nyssa, being more experienced with recovering quickly in battle, quickly got up and ran towards the sirens. She lit one fist up with a bright fire and looked like she was about to throw it at the sisters

"Look here, it seems there are actually three metas instead of one" Arabesques smiled "Harmony, show her what you've got"

As Nyssa got closer, she made a motion to throw a flame towards the sirens but Harmony caught sight of it before. Harmony sung a quick note, made a fist with her right hand in front of her, and then shot it out to her right. With her voice, Harmony had created a sound wave that knocked Nyssa over to the right without any warning. Nyssa flew through the air and collided with the wall.

"Nyssa!" Oliver shouted as he got up from the ground, not even caring about stupid code names

"Oh look, we've done it now" Melody teased "Why don't we end this so we can move on with our task?"

Oliver and Barry both got up and started running towards the sirens. Ralph, who had regained control of his injured arm, also got up and joined his team mates. As they ran forward, all three sirens raised their right fists in the air and started to sing a short melody together. As they did, small signs of a sound wave formed around them.

Nyssa picked her head up from the ground and looked up to see the three sirens preparing what seemed to be a massive attack, and her team was running straight towards them. With all the reaming strength she had, Nyssa picked herself up, grabbed her sword off her back, and ran straight towards her team mates, hoping to intercept them. She tried calling out to them, but over the sound of the sirens' singing, she couldn't be heard.

Nyssa knew that they weren't going to stop and if they didn't they would probably end up getting themselves severely injured. Instead of calling out, Nyssa had to go to her last resort. Right before her team mates were a couple yards from the sirens, the sisters started to lower their fists and change the melody. Nyssa knew what was coming next, so she jumped out in between the sirens and her team mates, then did a round house kick in the air with her sword in hand. A large gust of wind was sent straight towards Oliver, Barry, and Ralph. It came too quickly and it knocked all of them back about forty five feet.

As soon as Nyssa had released the gust of wind, she was vulnerable to the sirens attack, but wasn't able to react before they released it. All three sirens leveled their fists in front of them and the sound wave they had been creating shot out and went straight towards Nyssa. It hit her straight on and she was forced to cover her ears. All she could hear was the sound of a disharmonious melody echoing in her head. The sirens kept on singing the deadly melody as the sound wave did it's work on Nyssa, causing it to seem never ending.

Oliver picked his head up after being flung back all those feet just in time to see Nyssa drop to one knee while holding her hands over her ears while the sirens sang the disharmonious melody. He tried to get up, but the remnants of the sound wave were taking their toll on him.

All Nyssa heard was this melody, the melody that seemed to get even more deadly by the second. Her memory started to get fuzzy and she couldn't remember what was going on, like she was slowly being sucked into a void. Before she had the opportunity to resist, everything around her changed before her memory was sent into darkness.

The sirens smirked when they saw the effects their singing had on the heroes. They held back when they saw Oliver get up and rush over to Nyssa, who was still on one knee looking down at the ground

"Nyssa! Hey, look at me" Oliver urged as he skidded to her side "Are you alright?! Look at me!"

Nyssa looked up at Oliver just slightly, but Oliver saw something that wasn't there before; a darkness in her eye, like that of a killer's. After seeing Oliver, Nyssa immediately jumped up from the ground and kicked Oliver down before picking up her sword

"N-Nyssa, what are you doing?!" Oliver questioned underneath her blade

"You seem surprised Oliver, like this isn't who I'm supposed to be" Nyssa smirked down at him

"If this is a joke, now really isn't the time!" Oliver said before the blade was moved closer to his neck

"You're right, a battle is never a joke"

At that moment, Oliver was able to see it. She wasn't going to back down for whatever reason. Oliver didn't waste any time in grabbing the side of Nyssa's blade, holding it in place, and rolling to his side to avoid its hit. Nyssa stumbled back and faced Oliver with the look of a killer. Oliver barely had enough time to react before Nyssa ran straight towards him and started to throw her punches. Oliver dodged and blocked as many as he could, but still felt the effects of some

"Nyssa! Stop! This isn't you!" Oliver urged while ducking underneath her leg, which she had swung towards his head

"Can't you see Oliver" Arabesque asked from the side "That's not your Nyssa"

"She's right Oliver" Caitlin said over the com "She's in some sort of trance, or hypnosis. It's an effect of the sound wave and the sirens' singing"

"What do I do to get her out of it!?"

"I'm not sure, but we're trying to figure something out!" Cisco said

"Arabesque, I got it" Melody said as she rejoined her sisters with a small chest in her arms

"Excellent" Arabesque muttered "I hate to break this up so quickly, it really has been a pleasure, but we must be going"

When Arabesque said this, Oliver got distracted for a moment. Big mistake on his part because Nyssa did a round house to his chest, knocking him down and back a few feet. When Oliver was down, Nyssa gave him one last glance and walked towards the sirens, who looked like they were welcoming her as a team mate, an equal.

Once Nyssa was with the sirens, they released one last sound wave, knocking the rest of the team members back. When Oliver and the rest of the team recovered, he looked around at his surroundings and saw that Nyssa and the sirens were nowhere in sight, like they had vanished completely.

"N-Nyssa…." Oliver muttered to himself, then turned to the rest of the team "We have to go after her!"

"No Oliver, we can't" Barry groaned as he got up while helping Ralph to stand "If we go at them again, we won't back it out alive, especially now that they have Nyssa at their side"

"But I can't just leave her! She needs help!" Oliver almost shouted

"She's in a trance! She doesn't know you as her husband, she knows you as her enemy!" Ralph said "She. Will. Kill. You…without mercy!"

"Oliver, they're both right" Cisco said "Come back to the lab and we'll figure something out"

"Don't worry Oliver, we'll get her back" Barry said after seeing Oliver's look of panic

-(=+=)-

"Well done sisters" Arabesque said as they walked into the warehouse they were staying in "And well done to our new team mate"

"Glad I could help some people with the same cause" Nyssa said with an evil smirk "After all, they don't stand a chance when we work together"

"And to that, you're right" Arabesque smirked "I trust that if we help you kill Oliver, then you will assist us in retrieving the stones?"

"That's the arrangement" Nyssa replied

"Why do you want to kill Oliver anyway?" Harmony asked, not knowing that the sound wave had done to their 'new team mate'

"Oliver killed my father. For that and several other crimes, he must die"

"And with all of us working together, we will all see justice done" Arabesque smirked "Until our next fight is upon us, what do you all say to some sparring?"

"Hmm, our favorite pass time" Melody smirked as she drew two knives from her sash "I'm in"

"Same over here" Harmony said while drawing her retractable blades from her bracer

"As am I" Nyssa smirked as she drew her sword "But let me teach you all a few things. After all, you did not grow up learning as an assassin"

"A new team mate and some lessons, how could this get any better" Harmony asked with a small bit of cheerful darkness in her tone


	22. Wrath Of The Melodic Phoenix

Oliver, Barry, and Ralph all walked into the cortex, bruised a beaten up from the fight. Barry, who had been helping Ralph walk, guided him over to a chair as soon as they entered the room. Caitlin, Cisco, Iris, William, and Amina all stood in silence when the heroes returned.

"So…what exactly happened out there?" Cisco asked, finally breaking the silence

"We got beaten up by three metas" Ralph groaned "And now they have Nyssa working with them. How the hell are we supposed to beat them now!?"

"Cisco and I have been trying to figure something out to snap her out of that trance by watching the footage from the fight and I think we've come up with something, but it needs a bit more work" Caitlin said

"And any information you were able to get from the fight would help in more ways than you could know" Cisco added in

"What do you want to know specifically?" Barry asked

"Who they were, what they are doing, why they are doing it, background. Pretty much anything about them would help" Cisco replied

"How about some background?" Amina said from the side of the room

Oliver had forgotten that Nyssa's doppelganger was still here and seeing her there was destroying him. She sounded exactly like his Nyssa. She looked like her and in a way, even moved like her.

"Yeah, there definitely needs to be some explaining after what you told us" Caitlin replied

"What did she tell you?" Barry asked

"Well, Mr. Allen, I was just going to explain that" Amina replied

Oliver cringed a little when Amina said that. The way she said it was exactly the way Nyssa spoke. Having Amina in the cortex was just acting as a painful reminder of what happened out in the field.

"Those three metas that you fought, they're some of my backup dancers; Arabesque, Melody, and Harmony. They're sisters and from what I knew about them, they were some of the best dancers we had and according to others, they were fantastic singers as well, sometimes performing around the city when time allowed"

"How did they become metas?" William asked

"On the night of the particle accelerator explosion, they were performing in a bar. After the explosion, each of them were hospitalized after some of the equipment fell on top of them. I guess that they got their abilities from that incident because after that, no one heard them sing again"

"Do you think they found someone to create a breach to bring them to this earth?" Caitlin asked

"I think they used Dr. Wells' breach room to get here. He keeps a pretty tight run on the city with his daughter so I doubt there would be another…breacher? Is that what you call them?"

"Something like that, yeah" Cisco smirked

"Okay, do you know anything else? Like why these three…sirens would want to break into a museum?"

"I don't know what they're planning, but before the concert, they seemed rather distant. I wasn't supposed to dance with them but every time I went to see if they wanted to practice, they just brushed me off. Perhaps it has something to do with what they're doing" Amina answered

"You don't seem to fazed by the fact that three of your dancers are practically sirens" Ralph pointed out

"I'm talking to a room full of metas, I've met my doppelganger, whose going to teach me self-defense, and I'm on another earth. I've learned to have an open mind" Amina said with a small smirk "So in terms of getting this problem fixed, is there anything I can do?"

"Just get us any information on the sirens so we can fix this problem and if you know anything about stitching up a knife wound, you can help Barry over there because if he tries to do it, he'll end up giving Ralph a large scar" Caitlin replied

"I wish I could help him, but I haven't the slightest clue how to stitch a wound. Ironic really, I wanted to be a doctor when I was a girl after-" Amina started, before she was cut off

"Amina! Just stop!" Oliver shouted out, surprising everyone in the room

"Did I do something to offend?" Amina asked

"Just stop talking!" Oliver said back in a stern tone, then lowered his voice "You're just like her"

"Just like who, your wife?" Amina asked as she walked forward towards him

"Yes, and if you can't tell, this isn't the easiest thing to go through….can you just, go somewhere else?"

"Let me let you in on a little secret Oliver" Amina said when she was just a foot away from Oliver "I may look like your wife. I may sound like your wife, but we are two totally different people. Sure, she's a badass international assassin and I can say honestly that I look up to her. I am a singer and a dancer. I am not your wife and I refuse to be spoken to like I am nothing but a clone!"

Amina now had an angered expression all over his face at Oliver's ignorance. She pulled away from Oliver's gaze and stormed out of the room, believing that she was just seen as a useless double. Oliver was still slightly angered with Amina being there, but there really wasn't anything he could do about it at the moment

"That was a bit harsh man" Barry said from the side "She's not trying to be Nyssa, she just happens to look like her. I mean, look at us! We're calling her Amina instead of her actual name!"

"Surely you can understand why I had to do that?" Oliver asked in disbelief

"No, I honestly don't" Barry replied confidently "What's happening to Nyssa right now is out of our control at the moment and 'Amina' has just been pulled into all of this by accident. She can't just stop being Nyssa's doppelganger!"

Oliver was silent after that. Barry was actually right, to Oliver's surprise. Now as he was seeing the bigger picture, he was starting to understand the whole situation better and how he screwed up.

"Let me know if you find anything" Oliver said before walking out of the cortex

William jumped out of the chair he was previously spinning in and ran up to his father's side. The two of them walked in silence for a bit until William finally worked up the nerve to break it

"Can we spar? To blow off some steam?"

"I don't think that's a good idea" Oliver replied

"And why not?"

"Right now, I just want to hit something really hard…"

"Then do that! Smack your escrima stick against mine as hard as you can!"

"It would snap"

"Try me"

"I'd rather not break a perfectly good piece of equipment"

"So then what do you propose, because I want to hit something too"

"Tell you what. Why don't we both go and sharpen your axe and then we can practice? Does that sound good?"

"Yeah! Can we? Please?" William asked excitedly

"Sure, let's go do that"

A smile grew across William's face as he and his father both walked down the hallway of the lab, each in their suits like they were heading out into the field.

"Hey dad, can we both put our hoods and masks like we're walking out in the field?" William asked with a grin

"Sure, what the heck" Oliver chuckled

William pulled up his face covering over his mouth and nose, then flipped up his hood so only his eyes were visible. Oliver pulled his mask over his eyes, then flipped up his own hood. William took his axe off his back and flipped it out while Oliver held his bow at his side. William tried to hold back a giggle as he and his father walked down the hallway like they were about to fight off some mirakuru soldiers. Oliver was secretly smiling underneath his hood seeing William so happy. Yeah, his wife was stuck in the sirens' trance, but no one could take his mind off of everything like William, especially when the team was figuring out a way to snap her out of it.

-(=+=)-

Harmony and Melody both ducked underneath Nyssa's sword as she slashed it through the air. The two sirens had their knives drawn in an attempt to hit Nyssa, but it was proving to be an impossible feat. Nyssa kept getting the offensive part and she could have easily taken out both girls with a single slash, but this was for practice so she was going easy. Melody finally spotted an opening in Nyssa's attacks, so she gave a nod to her sister. Harmony understood Melody's signal and started distracting Nyssa. Nyssa 'took the bait' and started aiming her attacks towards Harmony. While she was doing that, Melody went to kick Nyssa's side, but the assassin saw it coming. Nyssa turned to her side where Melody was and grabbed her leg, holding her in an awkward position midair. Harmony saw that her sister was vulnerable, so she stopped attacking and waited.

"Excellent team work. Had I been a different opponent, I would be on the ground" Nyssa commented as she let go of Melody's foot "I must admit, for armature training, you two aren't that bad"

"I guess that's a compliment coming from an assassin" Harmony said with a small laugh as she started walking over to the table where Arabesque was "Is everything going alright with the map?"

"Much better than I expected. I believe we will have a location on the stones by tonight" Arabesque replied

"Care to take a quick break and join us in a sparring match?" Melody asked

"Sure, but how about we kick things up a notch and use powers?" Arabesque smirked

"Oh, I see how it is" Nyssa smirked "Sirens verses the Phoenix"

"That would appear to be correct" Melody said with a small laugh

"Excellent, I've been looking to practice with lightning for a bit"

"Lightning?! How many elements can you control?!" Harmony questioned

"Nine" Nyssa replied casually

"Damn, we sure did make a good call on teaming up with you" Melody said "How did you even get your powers?"

"Not entirely sure…" Nyssa started "All I remember about getting them is something having to do with nine different swords and a phoenix, but nothing else. What about you three?"

"We were all singing a melodic harmony when the wave of dark matter hit us. That's how the singing portion came in and as for the sound wave thing, I think it has to do with the small bits of dancing we were incorporating" Harmony replied

"Quite an interesting tale you have there" Nyssa started "How about we put your singing against my fire?"

"This is going to be fun" Melody smirked "Arabesque, you're joining?"

"Of course. Full force Nyssa?"

"Full force with no exceptions" Nyssa smirked

-(=+=)-

After sharpening William's axe for the last hour, Oliver was now walking towards the speed lab by himself. William had left for the bathroom so in the meantime, Oliver was planning on setting up a couple things so they could spar together.

When Oliver walked inside the lab, he expected to see it completely empty, but to his surprise, he saw Amina sitting in the corner. She had her back rested up against the wall and her knees pulled up towards her chest, using them to prop up a small notebook that she was writing in. She didn't notice Oliver come in while she was tapping one foot on the ground. Oliver could tell that she was pissed off about something, but she was trying her best to hide it

"I didn't expect to see you in here" Oliver started as he approached "Do you mind if William and I spar in here?"

"Do what you want, it's your earth. I'm just a fake" Amina said without picking her head up

"Look, I wanted to apologize for earlier…I-I stepped out of line and should have kept my mouth shut" Oliver said after releasing a small sigh "I was angry about what's happening and just exploded. I didn't mean to hurt you if I did"

"Hmm, I didn't expect you to say something like that" Amina said as she picked her head up "And for the most part, you sound sincere"

"I don't have a reason not to be"

"Well…thank you for the…clarification" Amina said with a slight smile

"So what are you doing exactly?"

"I may be on a different earth, but it's not a vacation. I'm still a performer and I still have songs to write so I thought I'd just come here where it's quiet so I can work"

"William and I can go somewhere else if you need to write"

"Nah, company would be appreciated…I usually write with Tarren, especially when I can't think of a melody" Amina started "Since I'm not exactly needed here, I guess I should be heading back to my earth"

"No, we could always use the help" Oliver replied "Besides, you know the most about the sirens and from the sound of things, you were friends with them. Perhaps you can talk some sense into them"

"You sure you want me doing something like that? I don't know how to fight and I think I'd be a reliability to the rest of the team"

"I insist" Oliver smiled

"Hey dad! Are you ready to get started?" William asked as he walked into the room with his axe

"Sure! Are you going to use your axe or do you want to use escrima sticks?" Oliver asked

"Can we start with the sticks as a warm up, then move to the axe?"

"Good idea. Get warmed up first" Oliver said as he grabbed two sets of escrima sticks from the side of the room.

Last time Oliver had visited the lab with his team, he bought a couple sets of escrima sticks people could use to kill time with since he and Dig got bored last time. It proved to come in handy, especially in a time like this.

William took the two sticks in hand and took his stance from across his dad. They both ran towards each other and started hitting the sticks against each other in a heaven and earth formation

While the two boys were sparring, Amina still sat against the wall trying to tap out a melody to the lyrics she had written out. She was starting to get frustrated while trying to come up with something, but then another smack of the escrima sticks gave her an idea. She paused and looked up at Oliver and William. The sticks being hit against each other seemed to create something like a melody

"Wait!" Amina called as she jumped up from the ground

"What is it?" Oliver asked as he and William lowered their sticks

"Do that again, that pattern!" Amina said

Oliver shrugged his shoulders as he and William went back to slapping the sticks together. Both were confused, but Oliver figured it was best to not try and question it

"Pick up the pace a bit more" Amina instructed

William and Oliver went back to their normal pace and Amina started tapping her foot on the ground.

"Mi mi mi fa so so faso mi re mi re mi….." Amina muttered as she walked over to a table and grabbed a knife

Oliver and William glanced over and saw Amina twirling the knife in her one hand while hitting the tip of the blade and the handle on the corner of the table every time it passed. She started muttering certain lyrics as Oliver continued the pattern. As they went on, Amina seemed to grow more confident in the melody and started singing it a bit louder so Oliver and William could hear exactly what she was saying.

"Oh my gosh that's it!" Amina shouted out with excitement and a little jump of victory

"What's it?" William asked

"I've been stuck on coming up with a melody for around two hours now and your sticks just gave me the answer!" Amina said while writing things down in the notebook "Thank you so much, but I need to go find something like a bell!"

"Um, good luck with that!" Oliver called back

"Thanks!" Amina called back

"That was...um…is that how normal singers figure out melodies for their songs?" William asked

"Not sure, you'd have to ask Amina" Oliver chuckled "Alright, back to form. Make sure to keep your elbows in and feet spread apart so…."

-(=+=)-

"Watch it! You're going to burn my hair off!" Melody called as a flame was thrown above her head

"We're sparring Mel, that's what supposed to happen" Harmony teased before throwing a sound wave towards Nyssa

The assassin used a small gust of air to blow the wave back towards the sirens and at a much faster rate. The three of them couldn't dodge it in time and were hit by their own attack, sending them flying into a wall. When some of the dust settled, Arabesque picked up her head and looked over at her sisters, who were both groaning as they got up off the ground

"Perhaps a break?" Harmony coughed

"Yup, definitely need a break" Melody replied

"Take fifteen, then we're back at it" Arabesque said as she walked over to the table and glanced down at the map

"Fights are a good refresher. Have you been able to figure out our next location?" Nyssa asked as she followed Arabesque

"You're right about the refresher. Just give me around fifteen minutes and I think I'll have something" Arabesque answered

"Okay then" Nyssa started "Harmony! Melody! Can one of you give me a hand for a second?"

"Sure, I'll do it" Melody said as she stepped over to Nyssa "What do you need?"

"I need you to stand in front of me and make a sound wave, but don't release it until I say" Nyssa instructed

"Why? What are you going to do?"

"You'll see"

"I'm nervous" Melody said with a small, nervous laugh

Melody created a sound wave and held it in place like Nyssa instructed. When she saw a good opening, Nyssa created a small ring of fire around her. Harmony and Arabesque watched in awe as Nyssa did a round house kick, sending a shot of fire straight from the ring and towards the sound wave. As soon as the flame made contact with the sound wave, the whole thing exploded into a fiery burst. The four girls had to cover their eyes and when the light disappeared, Nyssa saw that Arabesque had a smirk on her face.

"That was incredibly powerful. Imagine this in the field" Arabesque said

"I guess we'll just have to see" Nyssa replied

"And quicker than we all expected" Arabesque smirked "An A.R.G.U.S safe house. That's where the stones are"

"This is going to be interesting" Nyssa smirked

"How so?" Harmony asked

"Oliver and his team mates are heavily involved with A.R.G.U.S. This is certainly the way to draw that playboy out"

"You are planning on getting revenge tonight?" Melody asked

"If all goes well, then I will see justice done" Nyssa replied

"Very well! Let's not keep fate waiting" Arabesque said with her evil smirk

-(=+=)-

"I need a break!" William said as he leaned up against the table with his water bottle

"You had enough for tonight?" Oliver asked as he set down his escrima sticks

"Definitely" William groaned

"Okay then. Why don't you pack up your things while I go check on the rest of the team on their progress"

"Ok, I'll do that" William replied

Oliver gave his son one last smile before walking out of the speed lab, which they had been training in for several hours, and made his way to the cortex. Nyssa had been stuck in the sirens' trance for almost a whole day, so Oliver thought that the team would have something by now.

When he walked in, he saw Cisco and Caitlin frantically typing away on a computer. Barry and Ralph were both standing in the room dressed in their suits so Oliver assumed something was going on

"Oliver, we were just about to come find you" Cisco said "There's been a break in at A.R.G.U.S."

"What type of break in?" Oliver asked

"Thieves are looking for something is what it looks like. We don't know what they're looking for but we'll know once Caitlin gets the-" Cisco started before he was stopped

"Got it!" Caitlin announced "The security footage, live!"

Oliver, Cisco, Barry, and Ralph all gathered around the screen and Caitlin showed them the footage. On the screen, four figures appeared. Three of the looked almost identical in terms of costume while the fourth one Oliver knew too well; Nyssa.

"It's the sirens…they're looking for something" Caitlin said

"And in great timing too" Cisco said "We've got the reversal ready"

"What do you have?" Oliver asked

"A couple years back, do you remember when Barry was put in that angry trance of sorts?" Cisco asked, receiving a nod from Oliver "We think the same thing will work on Nyssa. Just hold her in place long enough for the colors to work and it should snap her out of the trance and back to normal"

"Okay then, but if I take her alone, then that leaves Barry and Ralph with the three sirens. We need one more person in the field" Oliver said

"Rock paper scissors?" Cisco asked Caitlin

"You take this one. I'll be the eyes and ears" Caitlin replied

"Cool! I guess I'll be battling a siren tonight!" Cisco chuckled "So while we're getting suited up, why don't you go through a quick run through of the game plan, Caitlin?"

"Sure. So in order for you to separate the sirens, you need to…"

-(=+=)-

"Arabesque, I think I've found them" Melody shouted in a whisper over to her sister

The four team mates who had previously split up to find the stones all walked over to where Melody was standing. She had found a small lock box in the vault with the certain code that everyone had to memorize. It matched the one Arabesque had told them and a smirk grew across her face when she confirmed it

"Good. Grab the box and let's get out of here. I have something back at the warehouse that we can use to crack it open without activating the tracking system" Arabesque answered

Melody took the lock box off the shelf and the four of them all walked out of the vault which Nyssa had helped them break into. They were all started to walk out of the small A.R.G.U.S safe house when the sound of approaching footsteps stopped them. Nyssa put her hand on the knife which was secured to her thigh while the sirens all stopped with their blades at the ready.

Oliver, Barry, Ralph, and Cisco walked into the safe house and saw the sirens and Nyssa standing in front of them. All of them drew their knives while Nyssa drew her sword

"Just a couple more minutes and we would have been home free" Arabesque remarked "Your timing is awful"

"It's better than not showing up at all" Barry smirked "You're not getting away from us like last time. Instead, you're going straight to prison"

"I think you're mistaken" Melody teased "One of the many benefits of teaming up with an international assassin is her lessons. Now when we run at you with a knife, perhaps you will think to actually block to avoid being killed"

"It was quite an interesting tale" Nyssa said in her chilling tone "My team mates are more skilled with blades than I originally anticipated"

"And now that we're prepared, it's time for us to end this charade" Harmony said

"Oliver Queen" Nyssa started as she stepped forward in front of the sirens "You killed my father. For that, you shall suffer" (A/N: Lol, I was really wanting to make a Princess Bride reference, but it would have been a bit OOC for Nyssa)

"Nyssa…?" Oliver questioned "Y-you wanted him to die"

"He was my father! No daughter wants to see her father dead!" Nyssa sneered

Oliver quickly realized that the whole reason this trance was still in effect was because the sound wave had altered her memory. Now instead of being driven to end her father, Nyssa was driven by revenge. Instead of her believing that her father had treated her poorly, it seemed that she now thought highly of him.

Oliver was about to say something, but Nyssa and tie sirens were too quick. The three sirens created a large sound wave above them and as it grew bigger, Nyssa created the ring of fire around her. When the sirens saw the fire, they lowered the sound wave. As it lowered, Nyssa directed a large flame towards the sound wave. The two forces made contact with each other and the sound wave went up in a fiery explosion. Those on team Flarrow shielded their eyes from the explosion, but because the sirens and Nyssa were expecting it, they all ran towards one of the opponents.

Arabesque ran towards Barry, Melody towards Ralph, Harmony towards Cisco, and Nyssa towards Oliver. The three sirens were fighting with ease while incorporating their powers into the attacks on occasion.

Nyssa ran straight towards Oliver with her sword drawn and swung it at him. He was able to dodge her attacks pretty easily since it was just like a sparring session, but then she started to switch it up. Oliver staggered back as she started using her blade to push him back rather than stab him.

Oliver soon found himself near a window and saw it as an opportunity. He remembered Caitlin's plan and the realized that the window would lead him exactly where he needed to go. Oliver ducked underneath on of Nyssa's attacks and wrapped around so he was behind her. Nyssa spun around but found Oliver now on the offensive. He was slowly directing her back towards the window and soon, she was less than two feet from it. Oliver knew this was his opportunity, so he did what he needed to. Nyssa was starting to get more aggressive with her attacks, so Oliver made his next one directed at her head. She was able to dodge his punch, but while she was recovering, Oliver nocked and fired an explosive arrow at the window. When the glass had shattered, it hit Nyssa's back but she didn't seem affected at all.

Oliver kept advancing on her and soon, Nyssa was standing on the window sill without anywhere else to do. Oliver looked like he was about to deliver another punch, so Nyssa leaned back and fell towards the ground below. As she fell, Nyssa flipped herself a certain way and landed on the concrete, doing a summer salt to recover. Oliver jumped down from the window sill and landed in front of Nyssa

"Looks like you've learned some new tricks" Nyssa smirked "But you're not the only one"

Nyssa quickly drew her sword from the sheath on her back and ran towards Oliver. He used his bow to block her attacks and was able to hold his ground pretty well. As they fought, Oliver was able to catch glimpse of what he was looking for; the van, which had the light show set up.

"Caitlin, get the van ready" Oliver said over his com while dodging Nyssa's attacks

"Right on it" She replied

Now it was Oliver's turn to get on the offensive. When Nyssa threw another attack at him, Oliver grabbed her right arm and twisted it slightly, making her drop her sword. He pulled her arm towards him and in the process, pinned it behind her back. Now that he had control, Oliver spun Nyssa so her back was pressed into his chest, but in order for the plan to go without a hitch, Oliver was forced to pull his wife into a chokehold. Nyssa struggled to free herself as she tried to relieve Oliver's grip with her left arm, as he right was pinned in place.

"Now Caitlin!" Oliver shouted over his com

Back at Star Labs, Caitlin hit a small button on a tablet sitting at her computer station with a small smirk on her face. When she hit the button, the side doors of the S.T.A.R labs van flew open, revealing the display of bright, colorful lights that had been used on Barry all that time ago.

Oliver was forced to shield his eyes from the colors, but Nyssa was forced to look straight at them. She tried to turn her head away, but had to resort to just shutting her eyes instead. As the lights died down, Oliver felt Nyssa stop fighting the grip he had on her and so he started lowering himself to the ground while still holding Nyssa. As soon as she was freed from his grasp, Nyssa fell onto her knees while grabbing her forehead

"Nyssa? Are you alright?" Oliver asked as he knelt down behind her and put his hands on her shoulders

"O-Oliver…" She stuttered while still having her back turned towards Oliver "W-what's going on?"

"You're okay" Oliver said with a joyful expression underneath his hood as he started standing up with her "Thank-"

Oliver was still trying to contain his excitement that his wife was okay when she ducked down suddenly. Nyssa grabbed her sword off the ground, spun around, and shoved her long blade into Oliver's abdomen. A look of shock crossed Oliver's face as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Nyssa looked into Oliver's eyes and to his confusion, he still saw that look of a killer, but it was stronger

"I told you once…" Nyssa started "Don't ever cross me, or you will suffer. I hope this taught you what I meant"

Nyssa pulled out her blade from Oliver's abdomen and as he crippled to the ground, Nyssa gave her sword a quick twirl, flicking most of the blood off of it

"N-Nyssa…" Oliver tried as he collapsed to his side "T-this….isn't…you"

"I've always been a killer. Only a fool would think otherwise" Nyssa sneered "Have fun in the afterlife. Perhaps my father will teach you a lesson if you see him"

Nyssa turned around and started walking away without a second thought. Oliver laid on the concrete ground, watching his wife walk away while his vision got fuzzier and fuzzier. He could feel the blood trickling down his sides and onto the concrete. He tried to move, but he wasn't able to pick up his head before darkness swept over his entire body


	23. Save The Arrow

"Harmony! Melody!" Arabesque shouted as she landed on the ground after swinging her leg over Barry's head

The two sisters each did a back hand spring so they were all back to back with each other. They were all about to start singing but were stopped when Barry started running around them as fast as he could. Arabesque and her sisters realized that they wouldn't be able to project as much as they needed to, which meant that this could be the end for them.

"Arabesque, what do we do?" Harmony shouted over the sound of Barry's running

"Where's that lock box with the stones?!" Arabesque shouted back

"In the corner of the room! We couldn't open it and I needed a free hand to fight!" Melody shouted back

"So we're stuck! We don't have enough room to send a sound wave!" Harmony shouted

"Remember Crystal Memories tour?" Arabesque shouted "The basic dance pattern?!"

"Yeah! Lower attack instead?"

"Correct! Direct it to the wave to the speedster!" Arabesque instructed

The three sirens all stood back to back with one another in a small circle. They each slid their right foot out in front of them and then put their left arms into the air while twirling their wrists. They each slid their foot across the ground from right to left while singing something like a melodic chord. A small sound wave shot out from the ground the sirens were standing in and went in all directions. Because Barry was traveling at such a fast pace, he could see the sound wave rushing towards him so he just jumped over it and continued running. The other members of team Flarrow were hit by the wave and fell down to the ground

"Speedster's still going!" Harmony shouted "What do we do now?!"

"I don't know! Where's Nyssa!?" Melody asked

"Fighting Oliver! That's where she should be!" Arabesque replied

"Correction!" A voice shouted from the other side of the area they were fighting in "I'm supposed to be here with my team!"

Through Barry's lightning, the sirens could see Nyssa walking into the room with her sword at her side, the blade stained with crimson. Barry and the rest of the team could see Nyssa, but she didn't pay them any attention. Instead, she clenched her fist in front of her face, and shot it out in front of her. With the swift motion, a bright blue-ish purple bolt of lightning shot out towards the ring of golden lightning surrounding the sirens. Barry ended up being in the perfect position and was immediately hit with Nyssa's lightning bolt. He was knocked out of running and tumbled back.

"Look who's back" Arabesque smirked, then glanced down at Nyssa's sword "I see you were given proper revenge"

Barry, Ralph, and Cisco all groaned as they picked up their heads and looked in the direction of Nyssa and the sirens. All of them could see the blood stained blade and were able to reach the undeniably clear truth; Nyssa fought Oliver, and won.

"W-where's Oliver?!" Barry shouted, still while sore

"Oh don't worry, your playboy friend is probably long gone by now" Nyssa smirked

"Y-You killed your husband?!" Ralph yelled

"Husband? You speak of him as if I loved him" Nyssa replied "But yes, I made sure that he would never see daylight again"

"Well since we've got what we all came from, why don't we get back and finish this all up?" Melody asked, now having the lock box in hand

"Excellent idea" Arabesque replied

They all turned to leave, knowing that their opponents were in no condition to fight them, much less follow them. As they walked away after completing their tasks, Nyssa felt a small flicker of uncertainty, like what she was doing was wrong, really wrong. It was probably just the wavering sense of victory that followed a kill, so she just continued walking while trying not to give it another thought.

"Caitlin, where's Oliver?" Barry asked over the coms

"Last I heard from him he was near the van location" Caitlin replied "I haven't heard anything from him since he told me to open the doors"

"Okay, we're going there right now!"

Barry, Ralph, and Cisco all scrambled out of the A.R.G.U.S secret building and outside into the alleyways. All of them scoured the area for a very short amount of time before Cisco rounded a corner and saw the damage

"Barry! Ralph! Get your asses over here!" Cisco shouted into the alley

Both Barry and Ralph appeared at Cisco's side in a blur. They stopped and their eyes widened seeing Oliver lying on the concrete in a pool of blood. They all ran over to Oliver's side and then the actual damage was beyond visible. Both Barry and Cisco skidded to the fallen vigilante's side while Cisco was shedding his jacket to stop the bleeding, against his best wishes.

"He's got a pulse, but it's almost nonexistent" Barry reported "Caitlin, stand by. I'm speeding him in!"

"No, stop any bleeding first to stabilize him!" Caitlin said suddenly "If you try to move him before, then he'll die before we can do anything"

"Okay, Barry, you monitor his pulse. Ralph, go into the van and see if there's anything that could possibly help us!" Cisco instructed

"On it!" Ralph started as he ran towards the van

Around forty seconds later, Ralph jumped out of the side with a small first aid kit that could be kept underneath the seat. He slid it next to Cisco, then stood by and waited

"That's all I could find in there" Ralph said "Do you think he's going to make it?"

"He's the Green Arrow…" Cisco started "There's like a sixty two percent chance of him making it through this…the damage is extensive…"

"His pulse is stable, but still weak" Barry announced "Stand back. I'll get him back to the lab"

"But the bleeding isn't as good…" Cisco started "We'll take a breach. It's more reliable"

"Okay then. Ralph and I will get his shoulders and legs if you take care of the breach"

Cisco nodded in agreement and got up from the ground. While he was opening the breach, Ralph and Barry picked Oliver up. Cisco kept the breach open long enough for his team mates to shuffle through. Thankfully, they were able to land in the cortex rather easily. Barry looked over to his side and saw Caitlin rushing over to them

"We got a bed set up! Get him on there and monitor the bleeding as well as his vitals!" Caitlin said as she ran across the room to grab some more things

Cisco, Barry, and Ralph all moved over to one of the side rooms in the cortex and put Oliver down on the bed after removing his quiver and kevlar jacket.

While team flash was trying to save Oliver's life, they didn't even notice his son standing in the corner, shaking with fear. He had been there the first time the team ran into the sirens and he saw the footage of his mom being put in that trance. When his dad came back, William could tell that they were trying to hide everything from him so they could stay positive about the whole thing. Seeing his dad in a decent mode always rubbed off on William, so his father seemed to have good acting skills. Never did William imagine that the trance would go this far. That wasn't his mom that he saw on the cameras. That wasn't his mom that stabbed his dad and that certainly wasn't his mom that loved him with all her heart. That was a killer who needed to be stopped at any cost.

Iris, who had been helping Caitlin gather supplies, glanced over and caught sight of William in the corner, shaking slightly. Her eyes widened when she saw him there. Iris had thought he was off doing his own thing after the team left for the fight.

"Caitlin, William's still here" Iris whispered

"I thought he left" Caitlin whispered back in shock

"I'm going to try and get him out of here. He doesn't need to see his father in this condition"

Iris handed Caitlin the supplies she had gathered, then walked over to William. He didn't turn it's head towards her, just watched Barry, Cisco, and Ralph all trying to stabilize his dad.

"William, what are you still doing here?" Iris asked in a soft voice

"I-I-I w-wanted to watch D-Dad…" William stuttered "H-He's going to be okay…r-right?"

"We're doing everything we can to make sure he's alright" Iris said with a small smile "Why don't we-"

"No pulse!" Barry shouted to Caitlin

"Damn it!" Caitlin shouted "Start CPR but keep light pressure on the wound! Ralph, get 10 of epinephrine!"

The four members of team flash all hurried around the bed side. Barry was performing CPR, Cisco was watching the wound, Ralph was working on the epinephrine and Caitlin was overviewing everything. Iris was still off to the side, trying to pull William out of the room but he refused to move.

"William, we should get out of here so we don't get in the way" Iris urged

"N-No! I-I can't leave! I want to be with my Dad!" William shouted in reply

"His pulse is coming back" Caitlin announced "Barry, hold off for a second and let him start on his own"

Barry backed away from the bedside and watched the monitor with the rest of the team They watched as the line on the monitor transitioned into a more steady, but still weak, pattern.

"Okay, let's get his heart rate up, stop all the bleeding, and then get this stitched up! He may look better now, but the damage is still extensive so keep your heads up!" Caitlin announced

"William, it's time for us to go" Iris whispered "There's nothing we can do by standing in here. No matter where we are, the team is still going to do their very best to save him"

"O-Okay…." William said in a whisper

Iris put her hand around the boy's shoulder and ushered him out of the room. He walked slowly and without any emotion. Iris didn't question it, after all, his father was just stabbed by his mother, who had been put into a trance by some metas from another earth. If anyone here had the right to be angry, depressed, frantic, and confused, it was definitely him.

"You've been up for a really long time. Why don't you try to get some sleep and by the time you wake up, we'll have some news on your Dad" Iris suggested

"I'm not going to sleep why my Dad could die at any minute!" William cried

"Hey, hey William" Iris said as she knelt down in front of him "Your Dad is one of the strongest people I know. He's been through much worse, especially on the island. I have no doubt that he'll make it through this. When this is all over, you'll be back in Star City with Dad all fixed up, Mom all fixed up, and those sirens locked up"

"How can you be so sure? He's still human. Surely he's going to draw the line somewhere. What if he draws it now? What if he chooses not to fight?! What if he-"

"William, your Dad would never leave you. He loves you and Mom too much to just leave"

"But Mom's gone" William started "That wasn't Mom out there. That was a cold blooded killer, not the person I play poker with on Friday nights"

"I think the most important part of all of this is that you remember that your Mom is only like this because she was willing to sacrifice herself in order to save your Dad, Barry, and Ralph. Now, would a cold blooded killer step in front of a direct attack to save her team mates?"

"No…"

"Exactly. Your Mom is still there, but she's being trapped. What you saw her doing out there, it wasn't her. It was the sirens controlling her" Iris started "Once your Dad is all fixed up and recovering, Barry, Ralph, Cisco, and Caitlin are all going to go out and get your Mom back"

"You're sure?"

"I'm positive" Iris smiled

"Thank you" William said as he wrapped his arms around her. Iris smiled slightly as she returned the hug. If everyone kept a positive mind set like Iris was trying to do, surely they could resolve all of this

-(=+=)-

"Excellent work out there tonight" Arabesque said when they all walked into the warehouse "Now that we've got the stones, it's time to return to our own Earth and take what's rightfully ours!"

"What exactly are you going to take back?" Nyssa asked while cleaning the blood off her blade

"We're taking Central City over" Melody smirked

"The city has become corrupt, much like Starling City. It needs direction and what better way to start a large movement than to take over a relatively well known city?" Arabesque asked

"And after taking Central City, you will expand your rule to other cities and eventually the state?"

"That is the plan"

"What drove you to choosing to take over the city?"

"Some call it being hungry for power" Arabesque started "I like to think of it more as seeing an opportunity and acting on it"

"Speaking of opportunity" Melody started as she pulled out a long and flat box from on top of a crate "I brought these with us for when we got the stones. Perhaps they could give us an extra power boost"

Arabesque took the box and set it on one of the old tables where they had some things spread out. She opened the top and smiled when she saw what was inside. Resting on a small pillow in the chest were three, flutes; one red, one purple, and one blue. They were all the same size, but each was broken up into three pieces

"These will be perfect out there" Arabesque smiled as each sister took out the flute that corresponded with their colors "Now we just need to put on the finishing touch

Arabesque took the lock box that contained the stones and pulled out a couple technical tools. She tampered with the lock system for a few minutes before a small click echoed through the warehouse. Arabesque removed three, diamond stones that were the size of her palm

"These are indeed the stones" Arabesque smirked as she leaned over towards her bag "Give me around fifteen minutes and these will be ready for practice"

"In the meantime, Harmony and I will practice with the flutes so we can coordinate attacks for tonight" Melody said

"And I need to get this fixed up" Harmony groaned as she wiped some blood away from her sleeve

"When did you get that?" Melody asked

"Cisco managed to actually flip one of my knives on me after I tripped" Harmony muttered "I'll just wrap it and call it good"

"Or, you can use this" Nyssa said as she reached into her boot and pulled out a small vial "This is something like pit water back in my home, but it's better in terms of side effects. Give me your arm"

Harmony extended her arm out and Nyssa pushed up part of her sleeve, revealing a bloodied slash from a knife. Nyssa pulled the top off the vial and slowly poured the contents over the cut The three sirens watched in awe as the cut healed itself completely as the last of the water dripped off her arm

"There you go. No need to use a wrap" Nyssa said as she put the empty container in her boot

"Thank you so much! That was going to be a pain in training" Harmony said happily

"Not a problem at all" Nyssa replied before Harmony and Melody went off to practice. "You haven't told me what's tonight"

"Tonight we're breaking into S.T.A.R labs so we can get back to our earth" Arabesque started "We assumed you'd want to stay here on your earth"

"I have nowhere to go and no one keeping me here. I'm looking to start fresh. What better way to do that than on another earth" Nyssa replied "I will join you in taking over the city"

"Your abilities would be appreciated in such a feat This will go down in history as the start of a new nation; Pandora"

"Pandora?"

"We are going to call our new nation 'Pandora' after the beginning of the human struggle. In our nation, people will not struggle as they do today"

"You want to create a nation with more structure, and almost guaranteed hope for all"

"Something along those lines, but for now, we must focus on taking the city then the logistics"

"Fair enough. I will go practice with Melody and Harmony"

Nyssa walked away from the table where Arabesque was working and over towards the mats where Harmony and Melody were both practicing footwork to a certain dance while playing their flutes. They ended the routine when they saw Nyssa and looked at each other

"It's just like old times" Harmony smiled "How about we incorporate the power now?"

"I believe that would be good to try" Melody replied

Both sisters started to play their flutes while going through the step routine. Nyssa jumped up on top of a crate and watched as the sisters practiced with the sound waves and Arabesque worked on the stones.

Around fifteen minutes later, Arabesque walked over to the small group holding three necklaces. Each one was exactly the same; black ribbon, diamond pendant, and a silver ring that secured the diamond to the ribbon.

"And here we have the finished products" Arabesque said as she gave her sisters each one of the necklaces "Shall we try them out?"

Both Harmony and Melody smirked in reply, so the three of them grouped up and started singing. Nyssa still sat on top of the crate, listening to their song. Normally, someone would be in their trance at that point, but since Nyssa was already affected by it, nothing was really happening. Eventually, Arabesque took over the melody, Melody took the background, and Harmony played the flute. All together, they sounded perfect and in a deadly way. There was no way anyone could stand up to these four with these new power boosters.

-(=+=)-

Both William and Iris had been sitting off in a small lounge room for the past five hours. Like Iris predicted, William had fallen asleep with his head in her lap. While he was getting some sleep, Iris had picked up a nearby book and started reading to pass the time of waiting.

Iris was just about to get to the halfway point on the book she was reading when Ralph knocked on the doorframe from the hallway. Iris turned around and saw the stretchy meta walking into the room.

"Hey, glad to see you guys are doing better" Ralph started "Oliver's out of surgery, but Caitlin needs to talk to William about the whole thing"

"Okay then. We'll both be there shortly" Iris replied

Ralph gave a small smile in reply, then started to walk out of the room. Iris set her book down off to the side of the couch where she was sitting and gently shook William's shoulder. He started to stir slightly, making Iris smile

"Hey William" She whispered

"Hi…." William said with a small groan "Any news on Dad?"

"Yeah, Dad's out of surgery and Caitlin wants to talk to you about what happened, just so you understand it better"

"So I can go see him?" William asked excitedly once he was sitting up straight

"I believe so" Iris smiled back "Let's head down there, shall we?"

William gave a happy nod as he jumped up from the couch after setting the blanket aside that he had been using. He slipped on his favorite hoodie, then walked with Iris down to the cortex. When they stepped into main area, they saw Barry, Cisco, and Ralph all cleaning up some things from the surgery.

"Hey William" Barry said when he noticed the two "We moved your Dad into that room right there. Caitlin's in there too"

"Okay, thanks" William said before he and Iris stepped into the side room

The first thing William saw was his dad, lying on a bed unconscious. He was a bit pale, but that was to be expected after being stabbed and almost dying. Caitlin was at his side writing a couple things down on a paper after glancing back and forth at a monitor. She heard the two of them enter, so she stopped what she was doing and walked over towards them

"I-Is he going to be okay?" William asked nervously

"William…" Caitlin started "While we were in surgery, we discovered just how extensive the damage was. In order for him to have a chance, we had to put him in a coma so he could recover fully"

"H-How long until he wakes up?" William asked

"It really depends on him but I would think around two to four days"

"So my dad is going to be dead for the next four days?" William asked as a tear rolled down his cheek

"He's not dead, he's just asleep" Caitlin said "Think of it in that way"

William knew she was right, it was just like his dad was asleep, but he still felt an overwhelming amount of grief. He couldn't stand seeing his dad 'asleep' anymore so he ran out of the room. Iris tried to follow him but wanted to ask questions of her own

"Caitlin, how bad is it really?" Iris asked when she was confident William was way out of ear shot

"Right now, things don't look good at all" Caitlin started "At this point, I don't think he'll wake up"

"Is there anything we can do to help him?"

"Not really. Right now, we just have to hope that there's still something Oliver wants to fight for because at this point, slipping away would be just as easy as snapping a finger"

"Okay…I'm going to go find William. I doubt he's taking this very well"

"I'll stay here and keep an eye on Oliver" Caitlin started "And Iris?"

"Yeah?"

"We agree to not tell William. He needs to have a little hope and the truth would destroy him"

"Right"

Iris gave Oliver one final glance, then walked out of the room to go find William. She saw Cisco, Barry, and Ralph all lounging around the cortex after the long night they just had. Barry was changed into some sweat pants and a loose shirt, Cisco was still in his suit but without the main jacket, and Ralph was sprawled out on the floor in his suit

"Long night?" Iris asked them all

"Long and stressful" Barry groaned from the chair he was sitting on

"And right now, the floor likes very comfortable" Cisco said as he sprawled out with Ralph

"Well I'm going to go find William and if you see him, just try to give him a bit of hope. I doubt he's taking all of this very well"

The three boys gave nods of understanding, then Iris walked off into the lab to find the youngest Queen.

-(=+=)-

It wasn't a particularly long night for Amina, as it felt just like it normally did when she was on tour. All night, Amina had been trying to write up more songs for her next tour, but was finding it was harder than normal without her usually set up. Instead of using a keyboard, she had to resort to using knives to tap against the side of a metal table. It wasn't ideal, but it got the job done after a while.

The Earth 2 performer was walking through the hallways humming when she heard the incredibly soft sound of someone crying. Amina was naturally drawn over towards a side room and peeked inside. Sitting against the floor with his head buried in his knees was William, Amina had heard all the commotion from the cortex and after listening, she was able to figure out what was going on but instead of going and asking about it, she figured it was best to just stay out of the way, especially when she looked just like the woman who stabbed Oliver.

"William?" Amina asked softly as she walked inside

William recognized her voice all too well, but still didn't pick up his head. Seeing the young teen so upset broke her heart, so Amina walked over to him and sat down in front of him

"William, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong" Amina said softly as she put her hand over William's

William picked his head up and looked at his mom's doppelganger. There was no intention of harm visible and in a weird way, it was comforting for the boy.

"I-I-I can't do this" William cried "I-I'm not strong enough…."

"What do you mean not strong enough? What can't you do?"

"My mom is under some spell and working with three metas, my dad's in a coma because of her and the sirens, and now I'm all alone!"

"William, you know that's not true" Amina said as she scooted to his side "We're all here for you; Barry, Iris, Cisco, Caitlin, Ralph, and me. The team is going to find a way to get your mom back and help your dad"

"How can you be so confident?" William asked "My dad nearly died last night!"

"I might not know this team very well, but I do know one thing" Amina started "They're dedicated. They will not stop until they succeed. Your parents mean a lot to them and if they'd be willing to just drop everything because it didn't go their way, then they wouldn't deserve to be called heroes"

"How would they even get Mom back? Their plan with the lights didn't work so what are they going to do now?"

"Do you know what Newton's third law is?" Amina asked, receiving silence from William "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction"

"What's that supposed to mean in terms of sirens"

"To reverse the trance, we just have to figure out the opposite. From there, it's just a matter of getting through to her. Who better to figure out the fix than a group of scientists who by night are also heroes?"

"And you're sure that they can figure this out? Even when you only just met them around three days ago?"

"I'm positive" Amina smiled "But right now, we shouldn't focus on that. I know for a fact that if it were you in the coma, your parents would be there waiting for you to wake up. Perhaps your dad just needs a bit of motivation"

"So I should go see him?"

"Definitely" Amina smiled

"Okay, I'll go do that" William said as he started walking out of the room

"And William?" Amina said, making the boy turn around "Just remember that this will all be fixed. There's a better outcome just around the corner, so don't give up now"

William gave a small smile as he walked back over to Amina and wrapped his arms around her. Amina smiled as she returned the boy's hug. When they let go, William gave one last nod of thanks, then walked to the cortex.

-(=+=)-

Arabesque, Melody, Harmony, and Nyssa had all been practicing their attacks after retrieving the stones. It was almost midafternoon when Arabesque raised her arm into the air, motion for the others to stop sparring

"I think we could all use a break" Arabesque said

The other three girls lowered their weapons and walked over towards the table where they had kept their few belongings. They had already packed their things, the map, and extra weapons. Instead of keeping primarily knives on them, the sirens now had their flutes and the stones, but kept a couple knives in their boots just in case. Nyssa hadn't shed any of her weapons, even though she could easily take someone down without them

"So what's the plan for today? Keep practicing attacks and get used to the flutes until dark?" Melody asked

"Correct. When night falls, we'll all sneak into S.T.A.R. labs and use their breach room. We'll come and go without anyone noticing" Arabesque replied

"If that's the plan, then you might want to take into account the security" Nyssa started "Those geeks are too paranoid and have cameras in every section of the building. We would have to take down almost every one of them if you want to get in unnoticed"

"Not going to lie, but none of us are skilled with computers" Harmony said

"We don't need to destroy the cameras" Nyssa started "I know of a way to pass their gaze and get to the breach room"

"Do tell" Melody said

"The pipeline prison, there's a secret entrance and if we use that, then we can get through without being seen, but it will involve more than just walking through"

"Well I think we can all handle ourselves" Arabesque said "We'll take that way then"

"Great, so until then, we practice?" Harmony asked

"Sure, I think out combined attacks could use a bit more work before we go" Melody said

"Okay then, you guys do your thing with the sound wave and all add a bit of flare" Nyssa smirked

"What kind of flare?" Arabesque asked

"Lightning"

-(=+=)-

William had been sitting by his father's bedside for the entire day. Most of the time, he just watched the monitor but other times, he was just drawing in his sketchbook. In the twelve hours he had been sitting at the bedside, William had only gotten up to eat once and it surprised the team. Everyone had just let William be, considering everything that had been going on, but Barry was a bit unsure

"Does anyone know why William's been sitting in there for almost twelve hours?" Barry finally asked

"He's Oliver's son, that could be why" Ralph said

"He's probably just lonely and wants to be with him" Cisco said

"Okay, but twelve hours with only one meal? There's got to be something else" Barry said "I'm going to go talk to him"

"Remember to be gentle" Iris said before Barry closed the door behind him

Barry walked further into the room until he was standing next to William. The boy was just blankly staring that the heartbeat monitor, waiting for a positive change but it didn't look like it was coming

"Hey William, what are you doing in here?" Barry asked

"I just want to be with Dad…nothing more nothing less" William replied

"Are you doing alright?"

"Not really…"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about…my dad's in a coma, my mom's stuck in a siren's trance, and I'm alone…"

"William, you know that's not true" Barry started "Everyone on the team is looking for a way to get things back to normal. Besides, the whole team is here for you"

"Have you found a way to reverse the trance?"

"We all have ideas and we're testing them out in scenarios to find the one that will work"

"Okay…"

"Don't worry about a thing William. We're going to get her back and your dad's going to be okay"

"You really think so?"

"He's a fighter and the strongest person I know He wouldn't die from a mere stab wound" Barry said with a small laugh, making William smile

"When Mom, Dad, and I are back in Star City, I'm going to have quite a tale to tell Kaida and Zoe"

"Who are they?"

"Zoe is Mr. Ramirez's daughter and Kaida is a member of the Phoenix League. Kaida and her mom moved to Star City so she could go to high school like a normal teenager instead of traveling the world to take down scumbags. They're both in my class and my only friends who know our parents' secrets"

"They sound like good friends to have. Do you spar with them?"

"I spar with Kaida on occasion, but Zoe's not allowed to start sparring with us until she learns to shoot a gun like her father. He's more modern than us" William laughed

"What are you talking about? A bow or a sword seems like a pretty-" Barry started, but was stopped when the door to the side room opened and Cisco stood there

"Barry, there's a security alert in the building" Cisco informed

"What are you talking about?"

"We have hidden cameras in the pipeline prison. The sirens are here in the building"

"Is Mom with them too?!" William asked

"Yeah, she's there" Cisco answered

"Do you have a plan to get her out of the trance?" William asked

"We have an idea, so we're going to try it but first, we need to take down the sirens so they don't put anyone else in the trance" Cisco said

"Cisco! Barry! C'mon!" Caitlin called from the main area of the cortex

"Stay here William, it's safer" Barry said as he rushed out of the room with Cisco

William knew they were right, but he also knew that he had to help in some way. Surely his unconscious father would think the same thing, so William hopped up from his chair and snuck out into the hallway of the lab. There was a small lounge like room where he had been keeping his suit so he found his way into that room. William pulled out his bag and started to get changed. The last thing he did was pull out his axe. He gave it a couple twirls before folding it down and putting it on his back. He had no intention of using it unless absolutely necessary, but you never know what could happen with metas

-(=+=)-

"The breach room should be just up ahead and down the corridor" Nyssa announced as she and the sirens all walked down the bottom part of the pipeline

"This was an excellent idea for sneaking in here" Melody said "So quiet"

"Except for them" Harmony said as she pointed up to the actual holding pods where some metas were imprisoned

"Sucks to be them" Melody said

"Good thing that's not going to be us" Harmony laughed "We're almost home free"

"No, no we're not" Nyssa started as she stopped walking

"What is it?" Arabesque asked

"Shut it for a second" Nyssa started "They're right above us. We need to split up"

"So they can't catch us all" Melody concluded

"You guys just continue down this way, then take the third corridor. Take a left and then a right. It should lead you right to the breach room" Nyssa instructed

"What about you?" Harmony asked

"A group of three can slip in unnoticed. I'll hold off whoever's coming" Nyssa started "If they catch you guys, you won't be able to start up in the city. If they catch me, which they won't, then I can break out easily or just teleport"

"Teleport? Why didn't we just do that?" Melody asked

"It involves a lot of fire and if we wanted to get in here unnoticed, we needed to actually walk so a scorch trail isn't left or the fire alarm doesn't go off"

"Understandable" Arabesque said "We'll get to the breach room and meet you on the other side"

Nyssa nodded in agreement, then the three sirens broke off in a run towards the corridor. When the sirens were well on their way, Nyssa started walking on another path that would lead her to the breach room. While she was walking, she heard the sound of footsteps getting louder, but didn't think too much of it. She was almost to the corridor when footsteps echoed from behind her.

"M-Mom…." A voice said from behind her

Nyssa turned around and saw a boy that looked to be around fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed in a black and dark blue assassins' garb with a collapsible axe on his back

"A young vigilante" Nyssa said "Where's your mother? Shouldn't she be here telling you not to play with knives?"

"Y-You are my mom…." William said

"That's about the stupidest thing I've ever heard" Nyssa said with a small but chilling laugh "I have no family so if you're trying to get me to have a revelation of some sort, you should just stop"

"Please Mom, this isn't you! You're stuck in the sirens' trance! You're not evil, you fight to save people from it!"

"Who said I'm evil" Nyssa said as she drew her sword from the sheath on her back "I'm just finishing what my father started"

"Please….I don't want to fight you…." William said as he backed away slightly

"Then I guess this isn't where you should be, is it?" Nyssa asked "Let me teach you a little something; never cross my path"

Nyssa ran towards William with her sword drawn, looking like she did before every battle with the league. William was forced to draw his axe in order to play defensive. As soon as Nyssa was near him, William started to twirl the axe around his body to get a feel for it, then held it out in front of him and blocked the first slash. Nyssa tried to get a hit on him, but William kept dodging and blocking her attacks with the axe. Eventually, both of them took a couple steps back to catch their breath

"You're stronger than you look" Nyssa smirked "You had an excellent teacher"

"You are my teacher!" William called back

Nyssa ran towards him again and he expected an attack head on, but instead, Nyssa slid underneath his axe and past William's side. As she passed, she ran her blade across William's upper arm, making blood trickle down the split sleeve.

William grabbed his arm where he was cut and grimaced at the pain shooting through his arm. He looked at his mom, who was standing behind him with a smirk

"If I was your teacher, you would have blocked that" Nyssa said coldly before running towards William again

This time, William was unable to block the attacks since he was only using his axe with one hand on the handle. He was forced to step back in order to dodge Nyssa's attacks, but she outsmarted him. As he was backing up, Nyssa subtly slid her foot behind his and when he took another step back, he stumbled and fell. He landed on his back and in a flash, he was using his axe handle to hold Nyssa's blade in the air so it didn't come down on him

"M-Mom…! I know you might not remember, but I need you to try!" William said while still holding his axe in place "You're not a criminal! You're the leader of the phoenix league! You're part of team arrow! You protect Star City! You're married to Oliver Queen and I'm your son! You're not Nyssa al Ghul, you're Nyssa Queen!"

"William!" A voice shouted from across the pipeline

Nyssa turned her head over towards the direction of the voice and saw a woman with white hair, dressed in blue, standing away from them with a cold mist coming from her hand. Without hesitation, Killer Frost threw a shot of ice towards Nyssa, who was still holding her blade over William. The ice came hurling towards her but as it got closer, memory flashes appeared before Nyssa's eyes

 _"_ _C'mon Oliver! If William can do the spin, then you can too!" Nyssa laughed as she skated around her beloved_

 _"_ _Best Christmas I've ever had" Oliver smiled as he pulled away from a kiss_

 _"_ _Nyssa, you cheap shot!" Elena laughed from the ground of the training mat_

 _"_ _And I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride" Ray said as he stepped back from two newlyweds as they gave each other a kiss_

 _"_ _Dakota, I swear to god if you try to trip me up again, you'll be missing a hand by tonight" Nyssa laughed while sparring with her brother_

 _"_ _Oliver, this is my home. Here with you and William in Star City" Nyssa smiled "I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd rather be"_

The memory flashes ended when the ice collided with Nyssa. She had tried to block it with fire, but instead was thrown back by a small explosion. She hit a wall and fell down to the ground in a daze

"William! Are you alright?!" Caitlin asked as her hair went back to it's normal caramel brown color

"I-I'm fine" William said as he got up from the ground

Both of them pulled each other into their arms, but William glanced over to where he saw his Mom was trying to get up after being hit. Caitlin and William let go of each other and looked over at Nyssa. She picked her head up and looked over at William and Caitlin, obviously confused

"…Where am I…What's going on…." Nyssa asked weakly

"M-Mom….?!"


	24. Reliving A Nightmare

"Mom…?!" William said with a small gasp

"What's going on? Why are we in the pipeline?" Nyssa asked

"Thank god you're alright" Caitlin said with a relieved sigh

"Why would I not?"

"I-erm…" Caitlin started "Wait, what's the last thing you remember?"

"Um, we were out in the field and I pushed Oliver, Ralph and Barry out of the way before that sound wave hitting…I got hit and passed out" Nyssa started "Wait, where's Oliver and the rest of the team? What exactly happened?"

"Y-You don't remember…anything?"

"Anything…?" Nyssa asked nervously with an eyebrow raised "What are you not telling me?"

"You don't want to know"

"No, I do Caitlin" Nyssa said, slightly annoyed "Just tell me"

"The sirens…t-they-" Caitlin started but was interrupted when Cisco ran into the room with Ralph, then Barry appeared out of nowhere a second later

"Caitlin! William! Get away from her!" Ralph warned

"What, no, she's fine" Caitlin started "We reversed it"

"Reversed what?" Nyssa said in a more stern voice "What are you not telling me?!"

Caitlin glanced back towards Cisco, Barry, and Ralph who all shrugged their shoulders in response, not knowing what to do. William remained silent, so Caitlin figured out that they all pinned the task on her.

"T-The sirens…you didn't pass out in the battle. They put you in a trance" Caitlin said

"What kind of…trance?" Nyssa questioned

"You were driven by revenge and…helped them steal something from an A.R.G.U.S safe house and vault"

"Steal something from A.R.G.U.S? Why the hell would they-" Nyssa started before a memory flashed through her head

 _"_ _Now that we have these, there's no stop to the power we'll have" Arabesque said as she presented three crystal necklaces to her sisters_

"Nyssa? Are you alright?" Caitlin asked, snapping her out of the daze she was in

"Oh, um, yeah…just a headache…" Nyssa started before looking around the room "Wait a minute, where's Oliver?"

"Ummm…." Cisco started

"I swear if you guys aren't going to tell me anything I'll go find him myself and you won't like how" Nyssa warned

"He's in a….coma….." Barry murmured

"Um, what?" Nyssa said with a small laugh "You're joking, right?"

Nyssa glanced in between the four members of team flash and her son, who all didn't look to be joking. A look of dread, fear, and confusion crossed her face before she finally spoke up

"H-How…." She almost asked in a whisper

"He was stabbed out on the field….by the sirens…" Caitlin replied

"W-Where is he…? Is he going to be okay?"

"We don't know for sure at the moment, but we think he'll be, considering everything he's gone through" Cisco said

"Where is he?" Nyssa asked after a few seconds of silence

"He's in the side room of the cortex" Barry said

Nyssa quickly moved past the team and started going up the stairs. She hadn't even noticed William really, who had been holding the side of his arm to stop the bleeding from the cut. As she walked up the stairs, Nyssa started having more of the memory flashes and they became more and more confusing.

 _The three sirens created a large sound wave and before they could release it, Nyssa threw a shot of fire into it, making the wave explode_

 _"_ _With these, we'll be able to take over Central City…." Arabesque said with a maniacal smirk_

 _Oliver and Nyssa both threw punches at each other while making sure to block the incoming attacks. Arabesque said something, Oliver got distracted, and Nyssa kicked him down before walking away with the enemies_

When the quick flashes ended, Nyssa stopped for a second to try and snap back to what she was doing. Reality and visions were being blended together and it was hard to tell what was real and not. She tried to push the visions aside, but they seemed oddly familiar and she didn't know why. How could she have been put in a trance? Better yet, how could she have been in a trance and not known it sooner? Couldn't she have been able to tell what was right from wrong at that point?

Instead of heading directly to see Oliver, Nyssa stopped off in the lounge room where she, Oliver, and William were all keeping their things. She walked over to her bag and quickly got changed out of her armor and set her weapons aside. If she was going to be around Oliver, having all her weapons on her didn't seem like the most considerate thing to do. After getting changed into some more normal clothes, Nyssa walked out of the room and towards the cortex, where she hoped to see her beloved.

-(=+=)-

"Why didn't you tell her everything?" Ralph asked after they were sure Nyssa was out of ear shot

"Why do you think?!" Caitlin replied in an annoyed tone "She was just snapped out of that trance and she doesn't remember anything! Imagine the guilt she would feel if she found out that she was the one that hurt Oliver! If we can eliminate some of this guilt off her, then we should!"

"She's going to find out eventually" Barry pointed out "I mean, she's pretty sharp"

"But how soon she finds out is the key" Caitlin started "Hopefully she'll find out when Oliver's all healed up and this whole thing with the sirens has been settled"

"Speaking of them, where did they go?" Cisco asked

Nobody spoke up after that, letting the rest of the team know that they had a fugitive problem. Barry looked over at the others, then sped off to start searching the lab for any traces of the sirens. Cisco jumped through a breach to start looking while Ralph, Caitlin, and William were all left together. Caitlin looked over at William and noticed that his upper arm was bleeding, although he was trying to hide it with his hand

"William? Did you get cut in battle?!" Caitlin asked

"Um, yeah but it's not that bad. It barely hurts" William replied casually

"Let me see it then"

Caitlin moved towards William and pulled his hand off the cut. The whole section of his arm was stained in blood and when Caitlin barely touched it, William flinched quite noticeably, letting the frost meta know that it did, indeed, hurt.

"Let's all go back up to the cortex. I'll get that fixed up while you look over security footage to find the sirens" Caitlin said when she was facing Ralph

"Okay, and I can also get the coms set up in the others' suits" Ralph offered

"Good"

-(=+=)-

Nyssa slowly approached the cortex, not knowing what to expect once she got into the same room as Oliver. After learning what those sirens did to her beloved, Nyssa felt a burning rage telling her to slit all their throats and watch them try to use their voices after that. Sure, it was morbid but she had no doubt that it was what she wanted to do.

After a couple minutes of walking, Nyssa came up to the door of the room where Oliver was. She released a breath she didn't know she was holding, then pushed down on the door handle. A small creak echoed through the hallway and into the room as Nyssa pushed the door open so she could walk in. The first thing she saw was a medical bed on one wall of the room, where a pale Oliver was lying. His eyes were closed and his facial expression suggested that he was peaceful. There were a couple monitors that displayed his vitals and from the bit that Nyssa could understand, he seemed to be doing better.

She surveyed the room for another few seconds before slowly walking up to the right of Oliver's bedside. Nyssa looked down at him and fought to hold tears back at seeing her beloved in this condition. Seeing him like this gave her a feeling no amount of words could describe, but she knew that he had never done something to deserve this.

Nyssa started to reach for his hand, which was rested at his side, but right before her finger made contact with his skin, another series of visions flashed before her eyes

 _Nyssa reached her arm out in front of her and a bright, blue and purple shot of lightning hurled itself towards Barry, who was running around the sirens to create a barrier. The lightning hit him and he was shot off his coarse and collided with a wall, immediately groaning in pain. Now in addition to Cisco and Ralph, who were already taken out, the Scarlet Speedster was also out of the game_

 _"_ _You are my teacher!" William shouted to Nyssa. She ignored what he said and slid right past him, while avoiding his axe blade, and ran her sword against his arm. The boy immediately grabbed his bleeding arm and looked back towards his mom with a pleading look in his eye._

 _Oliver was standing up with Nyssa, one hand on her shoulder, with a look of pure happiness on his face. Nyssa had her back towards Oliver and in an instant, she ducked down, grabbed her sword, and plunged it into the epigastric region of Oliver's abdomen. He tried to say something, but only managed to cough out blood. "I told you once…." Nyssa started "Don't ever cross me, or you will suffer. I hope this taught you what I meant". She pulled her blade out from Oliver's abdomen and gave it a quick twirl, flicking off most of the blood while Oliver collapsed to his knees then his side._

The visions ended and Nyssa immediately pulled her hand away and stumbled backwards. Nyssa looked back towards Oliver with a look of pure dread written all across her face. Oliver wasn't stabbed by the sirens; he was stabbed by his wife. Nyssa looked down at her shaking hands and felt a tear roll down her cheek. Not only had she been the one to hurt Oliver, but she also hurt William and Barry directly.

She couldn't stand to be in the same room as Oliver, not after what she did. Nyssa immediately fled the room, but while she was trying to escape, she ran past the cortex. She slowed down when she saw William sitting on a stool with his sleeve rolled down while Caitlin stitched up the cut that Nyssa gave him. Both Caitlin and William looked over at Nyssa, who was still standing in the hallway

"Mom…." William tried, but it was too late; Nyssa was already running down the hallway to get away from them as fast as she could

"Should someone go after her?" Ralph asked from across the room

"No, she's probably just trying to sort everything out. Give her a couple minutes" Caitlin said before cutting off the last of the suture "There you go. I'll just wrap this and then you'll be good to go"

"Will it leave a scar?" William said while trying to avoid looking at the now stitched cut

"If it heals properly, it shouldn't leave a trace" Caitlin replied after taking out a bandage wrap

"Hey, I know I'm probably the last person you want to see" A voice said from the doorway of the cortex "But I just saw…Nyssa…running down the hallway. I've never seen someone run that fast before. Did something happen?"

Caitlin, William, and Ralph all looked up and saw Amina walking into the cortex with her hair pinned up like she was just working out, but obviously she wasn't since she was wearing jeans and a hoodie

"Nyssa was snapped out of the trance and she's just trying to get readjusted to everything" Ralph replied

"Really? Because I don't think readjusting involved crying while trying to run away from something" Amina stated with an eyebrow raised

"Do you think she…." Ralph asked

Caitlin didn't let him finish before she walked over to a door in the main room of the cortex. She pushed it open and everything seemed to be in order. Oliver was still out cold, as expected, and the room seemed untouched. Caitlin was about to leave but then she noticed scuff marks by the right side of the bed. She walked over and saw the marks that suggested someone stumbled back. Caitlin was able to figure out what happened from there and then walked back into the cortex to see the others waiting.

"She found out" Caitlin said

"Who found out what?" Barry asked as he and Cisco entered the cortex after their sweep

"Did you find the sirens?" Caitlin asked

"No. There's no trace of them in the lab; however, the breach downstairs was recently activated so I sent Wells and Jesse a heads up" Barry replied "So who found out what?"

"Nyssa found out that she was the one that…stabbed….Oliver…." Ralph trailed off

"Well shouldn't someone go try and talk to her and explain everything?" Barry asked "I mean, we all know that Oliver's the master of finding a way to blame things on himself, but Nyssa's his apprentice"

"Okay, but after finding out he stabbed your husband, would you want to be confronted by someone you hurt while under the influence?" Caitlin asked, receiving silence from the rest of the team "Yeah, that's what I thought. Just leave her alone for now"

"So if we're leaving her alone for now, I'm going down to jitters to get some breakfast. Anyone want anything?" Barry asked the group

"Usual" Caitlin and Ralph said in sync

"Uhh…donut and hot cocoa?" William asked

"Sure thing! We'll be back soon!" Barry called "Let's go Cisco"

"Hey Zipper, you're forgetting something" Cisco snickered

"What am I forgetting Cisky?" Barry teased before looking down at his suit "Ooh….right"

Cisco snickered in victory as Barry zipped around and got changed out of his suit. Since Cisco was already changed into normal attire, they just left when Barry was ready.

"I'm going to go sit with Dad" William said as he slipped off the stool

"Hey William, do you want to change out of the suit first? I can fix the sleeve while you're with your dad" Caitlin offered

"Okay then, I'll be back in a minute" William replied

-(=+=)-

The three sirens had already jumped through the breach and landed in Earth 2, but knew that they couldn't stay for long.

"Where's Nyssa? Shouldn't she be jumping through right about now?" Harmony asked

"She should, but she must have gotten held up" Arabesque replied "We need to get going before we're spotted. We exit the same way we came in"

Melody and Harmony didn't argue as they followed their older sister out of the breach room and through the secret pathway they had taken into the lab. By the time they made it outside, it looked to be around late afternoon in Central City. The sisters were about to continue back to their original base but the Arabesque stopped them

"Hold on a second" Arabesque started

"What is it Ari?" Melody asked

"It's Nyssa….the trance has been broken" Arabesque replied

"How do you know for sure?" Harmony asked

"I've got more experience with these abilities and when something is altered, there's just this….feeling inside and I just got it. That's how I know"

"So what should we do? Go back to Earth 1 and get her back on the team?" Melody asked

"No, if we go back in there, we'll blow our cover. For now, we need to retreat, come up with a plan, and then come back and get her when our power is almost at its peak"

"By then she'll be backed up by all the members of her team. We would already have a hard time getting her in another trance, but with her team there, it would be impossible" Melody pointed out

"True, which is why we would have to eliminate the members of her team first, then leave her standing in the middle of a pile of bodies"

"And who could we start with? The Speedster, the teleporter, or the rubber thing?" Harmony snickered

"Not the metas, but her son; William" Arabesque smirked "He's her ultimate weakness, especially after she killed her husband"

-(=+=)-

It had almost been a full day since Nyssa was snapped out of the trance and for the first few hours, everything was going as the team predicted. They all went about their daily business while William stayed by Oliver's side, drawing, reading, or texting with his friends back in Star City. At one point, he was able to put on his suit, which Cisco had fixed for him, and got a picture with The Flash, Vibe, Killer Frost, and the Elongated Man. He sent it to Zoe and Kaida, who both became instantly jealous of Williams' long trip to Central City. At one point, he did tell the two girls that Oliver had been injured out in the field, so Zoe said that she could deliver the message to her dad so he could tell the rest of team arrow.

William was still at his father's bedside when Caitlin walked into the room with a tablet in hand. The teenager looked up and saw her approaching him with a small smile across her face

"The team back in Star City is looking to talk to you. There's a video chat set up out in the main area and everyone really wants to see you" Caitlin said

"Okay, I'll be out in a minute" William replied

A couple minutes later, William emerged from the room Oliver was in and saw Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, and Ralph gathered around a large TV screen where the faces of Diggle, Katara, Dinah, Rene, Curtis, Lenora, and Jacob were all visible.

"So he's going to wake up soon?" Dig asked

"If he continues improving like he has been, then he should wake up within the next day or two" Caitlin replied

"Then again, he's the Green Arrow so it will probably be sooner than that" Cisco said

"Hey, nice to see you William" Caitlin said with a smile as she gestured for him to join the group

William walked over to the group and stood at Caitlin's side after Barry and Cisco made some room for him.

"Hey William, how are you holding up?" Dinah asked in a way a mother would

"It's getting better" William replied

"We're glad to hear, but just remember its just going to get better from here" Dig said

"Yeah and William, the best part about all of this is you got to meet The Flash" Zoe said from the side after pushing through the small group of heroes

"Hey Zoe!" William said happily "Is your dad finally letting you practice in the bunker?"

"Yeah! I got to start Monday! He's teaching me how to use a 22 rifle, then I get to move onto an AR-15 when my arms get stronger! By the time you're seventeen, we'll both be out in the field as the newest vigilantes!" Zoe said

"Woah, let's not get ahead of ourselves now" Rene tried "You still have a lot to learn, and I want you to learn a couple things from Oliver and Nyssa first"

"Okay, but I have a little over two years to learn so I'll be good" Zoe smiled

"What would your code name be out on the field?" William asked "Mine's going to be 'The Wolf'"

"Wolf? That's catchy! I'm now thinking that my code name should be Lynx since yours is going to be Wolf, but it's bound to change"

"Now hold on a moment, we've still got a long way until code names little miss" Rene said

"We can go on a private video chat and discuss this very important topic, that is, if you'd like us to Mr. Ramirez" William said

"Yeah, why don't you two go do that" Rene replied

"I'll call you in a sec Zoe!" William said before scampering off to find his phone

Zoe had a big smile across her face before she ran out of the view of the camera with her phone. Most of the members of team arrow were trying to hold back their smiles at seeing the two young teens so happy about having vigilantes as parents.

"So how did Oliver get stabbed exactly? He doesn't just 'get stabbed' and go into a coma as a result of said injury" Dig said once William and Zoe were out of the room

"We have a newly developed meta problem here in Central City" Barry groaned "And Oliver was a victim of said metas"

"That won't do it man" Rene said "We need detail so we can help!"

"Okay then, here we go" Barry started "So first, Cisco, Oliver, Nyssa, and William all went to Earth 2 so Cisco could get a certain metal from Wells to make William's suit. While they were there, Oliver met his doppelganger and so did Nyssa. Oliver's visit was fine while Nyssa's was quite as….perfect"

"Perfect? What got screwed up?" Jacob asked

"So, brace yourselves, Nyssa's doppelganger is a famous pop singer….like Taylor Swift" Barry said while trying not to laugh at the polar opposite

"Wait wait wait" Lenora laughed "You're telling me that someone that looks EXACTLY like Nyssa is a singer on another earth?! Who would've known! That's her polar opposite!"

"I know, which is why it's really strange that it's reality" Cisco said

"So anyway, Nyssa didn't want to meet her doppelganger directly, so she and Oliver sat up on a high point and watched on of her concerts, but at the concert, there was a bomb attack and several people were killed and hundreds injured. Oliver and Nyssa went all vigilante to help people but in the process, they ran into Earth 2 Robert Queen, who's the Green Arrow, and his apprentice; Shadow"

"Shadow? That' kind of cool sounding" Curtis said "Very mysterious"

"Yeah, and we recently learned that Shadow is really Earth 2 Adrian Chase" Cisco said

"Oh my god! You have to be kidding me!" Rene said while trying not to laugh "Chase is a good vigilante on another earth! This place is amazing!"

"Quite different from what we have here" Barry laughed "So vigilantes helped other vigilantes, but Nyssa ended up losing something at the crime scene and the only way for her to get it back was to meet her doppelganger face to face. Jesse arranged a meeting, Oliver and Nyssa went, Nyssa tried using an illusion but because the vibrations are different there, it faded off and her identity was revealed. She fled the scene and her doppelganger tried to put two and two together, thinking that Nyssa was the one that bombed the concert"

"So where are you going with this?" Katara asked, speaking up for the first time

"Nyssa's doppelganger got Dr. Wells' help with getting to our Earth. Along with Nyssa's doppelganger, three meta humans who have abilities like sirens have come to our earth!" Barry said

"Sirens? Like what are their abilities?" Lenora asked

"They're all sisters, three of them to be exact; Arabesque, Melody, and Harmony" Caitlin said

"That's appropriate" Curtis chuckled

"That's what I said!" Barry laughed "Anyway, the sirens can sing in a harmony to lure people into doing things, create sound waves, and put people in trances which causes them to follow their every order basically"

"You took extra time to explain the trance part….I don't like this" Dig said

"First battle with the sirens didn't go exactly as planned. Ralph was stabbed right off the bat by Harmony, and the other members each took a siren. They all used their singing to knock Nyssa, Oliver, and Barry back. Nyssa was the first to recover, she charged, and got slammed into a wall. Oliver and the rest of the team, now including Ralph, all tried to get at the sirens, but Nyssa saw that they were creating a bigger attack and knocked them out of the way with a gust of air before they were hit. She was hit directly, but instead of being taken out, she was put in one of their trances" Barry explained

"So Nyssa was put in the sirens' trance…for how long?" Dig asked

"About three days total" Barry said "In that time, she worked with the sirens to steal something from A.R.G.U.S, I'm sure you heard about that Dig"

"Yeah…some type of ancient stones…?" Dig asked

"Yeah, Nyssa helped them steal that while under the influence and at that same fight when we tried to reverse the trance she….stabbed….Oliver….and left him in an alley to die"

All the members of team arrow looked like they were doing the manikin challenge (A/N: Only thing I could think of to describe it!). Everyone just froze and didn't say a word

"And…what happened exactly?" Curtis asked "Is she still…."

"No, we got her back last night. She's snapped out of the trance but from the looks of it, she's not doing okay" Barry said, but started to trail off at the end

"Come to think of it, we haven't seen her since she ran off earlier this morning" Caitlin said before looking around at the team "Anyone know anything?"

The entire flash team shook their heads and Caitlin just let out a slightly annoyed sigh

"Hey, have any of you guys seen my notebook?" A familiar voice asked from the doorway

The members from both teams looked over towards the entrance of the cortex and saw Amina walking inside, still wearing the jeans, hoodie with her hair pinned up. Team Arrow looked incredibly confused while Team Flash thought it was completely normal

"Wait….is that Nyssa?" Lenora asked "Nyssa? Are you alright?"

"Huh, oh, this must be Nyssa's team" Amina said "Hello! Don't worry about me! I'm just the doppelganger!"

"Just the doppelganger?" Cisco asked

"This isn't my earth, so I'm just the doppelganger" Anima said as she approached "So is this the team in Star City?"

"Um yeah" Barry started "This is John Diggle, Katara Victori, Dinah Drake, Rene Ramirez, Curtis Holt, Lenora Bariq, and Jacob Patterson"

"Nice to meet you guys!" Amina said with a small wave

"So you're Nyssa's performer doppelganger" Lenora said with a small laugh "This is fantastic! You're almost the complete opposite of Nyssa and its super cool to see this in person! Wait, are those highlights in your hair?"

"Yeah, just a littler personal touch" Anima said as she pulled out part of the highlight "Do you like it?"

"It looks pretty fantastic! Our Nyssa would never dye her hair but likes to laugh at fake blondes"

"Fake blondes?!" Amina laughed "That's the best thing I've ever heard! I have to tell my husband about this! He'll love it!"

"Who's your husband on Earth 2?" Dig asked

"Tarren Elorica" Amina said proudly, making the entire team arrow almost laugh

"THIS. IS. PERFECT!" Lenora laughed "Oh my gosh! You have no idea how amazing this is!"

"Anyway, you guys can have this conversation a bit later. Amina, have you seen Nyssa?" Caitlin asked

"Nope! I've been trying to write my new album for the past twelve hours or so. I haven't seen her since I ran into her in the hallway after she found out about Oliver's…condition" Amina replied

"How is it that someone disappears from the team and we haven't heard from her in-" Caitlin started before something started beeping in the background

Caitlin quickly walked over to the computer where the beep was coming from and her eyes widened when she saw what was on the screen. Barry and Cisco both turned back to look at Caitlin who looked to be smiling but it was a smile filled with shock

"Oliver's vitals just improved dramatically, like he's waking up" Caitlin announced "Oh my gosh! He's waking up!"

"I'm going to go get William!" Cisco said as he ran out of the room

"I think this is where we need to end this video call! We'll let you know how he's doing later and if he's up to it, we'll set up another call!" Barry said

"Alright! Don't keep us waiting! We want to know how the boss man is doing" Rene said

The teams gave one final goodbye before Caitlin and Katara ended the call. Barry, Ralph, and Caitlin all hurried into the side room where Oliver was and saw that his vitals were improving. It wasn't even thirty seconds later before Cisco and William both ran into the room. William had an excited look on his face, but Caitlin could tell there was something holding him back

"Where's Mom?" William asked after seeing who all was in the room

"I'm not sure, but she'll probably be here" Caitlin said "I know we all want to be here for when he wakes up, but maybe it's best if some of us-"

Caitlin was cut off when Oliver started to stir just slightly but looked to be in pain. The entire team closed their mouths and William rushed over to his father's side and waited impatiently for him to open his eyes

Oliver slowly opened his eyes and quickly felt the sting in his abdomen where he had been stabbed. He looked around the room he was in and immediately saw Barry, Cisco, Ralph, and Caitlin standing off to the side while William was at his bedside. The young boy had a smile spread across his face while tears prickled up in his eyes

"D-Dad…." William stuttered with a smile before lunging at him and pulling him into a hug

"Hey buddy…" Oliver said in a lower tone as he put his arm around William's shoulders "How are you doing?"

"So much better now that you're awake" William smiled "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got stabbed" Oliver said with a small laugh "How long have I been out?"

"Around two days" Caitlin said from the side while smiling "But we're so glad you're awake"

"Wait…Nyssa" Oliver said as he tried to get up, but stopped when he felt a surge of pain from the stab wound

"Don't worry, she's okay" Barry said while William tried to keep his father down "She's been snapped out of the trance and she's….somewhere around here…."

"I need to see her and make sure she's okay" Oliver said

"No Oliver, you don't, not right now" Caitlin said "If you try to move right now, you'll hurt yourself even further and it will make recovery longer and more painful"

"I don't care…I need to find her"

"I'll go find her, but you need to stay here" Cisco offered "William, can you make sure he stays put?"

William nodded in reply and Caitlin, Barry, Ralph, and Cisco all walked out of the room to give William and Oliver some father-son time together. Once they were out of the room, William pulled up a chair from the side and sat down in it next to his father, still with a smile spread across his face

"So what have you been up to?" Oliver asked

"Just random things…hanging out with the team, drawing, reading, texting with my friends, and talking with Zoe about potential code names for when she gets out on the field! Mr. Ramirez started her training on Monday and she's learning how to shoot a rifle" William replied

"That's awesome. Maybe when you both get really good, you can spar together and maybe include Kaida"

"That would be awesome! She said that if my code name was going to be Wolf, then she wanted hers to be Lynx or something like that"

"That's catchy; Wolf and Lynx" Oliver smiled "I can't wait to see you out there someday…you have no idea how proud I am of you William"

"Thanks Dad" William smiled

"What happened to your arm?" Oliver asked, noticing the wrap on William's upper right arm

"Oh, um, it's a cut I got in….a fight"

"A fight? With who?"

"….Mom…." William said, making Oliver raise an eyebrow in confusion "She was still in the trance when she fought and I tried to snap her out of it but it wasn't going so well and I ended up getting cut on accident but it's not bad at all and I had the best intentions in mind, I swear, but I didn't think it through all the way like you told me to do and-"

"William, I understand" Oliver said to stop "You just wanted to help and I can't be mad at you for wanted to do that. You're a good kid with a heart of gold. I would be surprised if you didn't want to help"

"So, you're not mad at me….or Mom?"

"Of course I'm not mad at you and I'm not mad at Mom either. Her actions were out of her control and I know for a fact that she would never even imagine doing something like that" Oliver started "But next time, can you please not run into battle without getting help from an adult? You're still really young and I don't want you getting hurt out there"

"Okay, deal!" William said with a smile before hugging his dad again "Thanks for understanding"

"Of course buddy, I'd do the exact same thing"

"I love you Dad….thanks for not leaving me"

"I love you too much to do anything like that" Oliver started while fighting not to shed a tear "I'll never leave you….or Mom"

Oliver could feel William smile while they still held onto each other in pure happiness. Now that William had said it, Oliver really couldn't imagine his life without him or Nyssa in it, and it made him happy just knowing that they were both back with him…somewhat that is. Where was Nyssa?


	25. Can't Just Forgive and Forget

Cisco wandered the endless hallways of the lab, looking for Nyssa but wasn't finding her anywhere. He expected her to be in the speed lab or a workshop doing things for the league, but she wasn't in either of those places.

Cisco was about to walk back to the cortex and just scrub security footage when he passed by the small lounge room where the Queen family had been keeping their things. Everything seemed normal until Cisco caught glimpse of a longsword. He stepped inside the room and approached one of the bags. Resting on top of the armor set was a sheathed longsword which he recognized as Nyssa's straight away. He reached for the handle and picked it up with the sheath. The sword only weighed around three pounds, but it was weighted well for swinging around. Despite only knowing Nyssa for a couple months, Cisco knew that she wouldn't just leave it behind, so he quickly walked out of the room with the sword in hand to tell the others.

When he walked into the cortex, he saw Caitlin and Ralph talking about some stuff regarding general crime while Barry was lounging to the side, reading a book. He glanced over and saw through the door window that Oliver and William were talking with each other and William looked really excited telling his dad whatever he was saying.

"Any luck Cisco?" Caitlin asked

"Welp, I found her sword" Cisco said as he put in on the table "But no Nyssa"

"And you checked all the normal spots?" Barry asked

"Yes. Every single one of them" Cisco replied confidently

"Even the roof?" Ralph asked

"Roof?" Cisco asked "Are you kidding me? I'm not going up there while it's pouring outside!"

"Fine, I'll check the camera then" Ralph said with a small groan

While he did that, Cisco, Caitlin, and Barry all had a friendly little conversation. A couple minutes later, Ralph called them over to the monitor and showed them the footage

"She's up there" Ralph said as she pointed to the dark figure sitting on the edge of the building

"Great, so who's going to get her?" Barry asked

Everyone looked at Caitlin, as she was the other female, and she just rolled her eyes in response as she walked to the other side of the room. She walked back a minute later with her coat on and gave one final glance to the guys

"You guys will owe me for going out in the rain this late at night" Caitlin said with a small growl

"Well if you get bored, you can always just freeze the raindrops for fun" Barry laughed "That would be kind of cool to see in battle"

"Yeah, let me put that on my list of things to do" Caitlin said as she walked out of the cortex

"So is anyone up for Just Dance later tonight?" Cisco asked

"Just Dance? Really Cisco?" Barry said with a small laugh

"Why the hell not? It could be interesting" Cisco admitted

"I'm down for it" Ralph said

"Great, when Caitlin gets back, we can start the rounds!" Cisco said

"I'll get the scotch" Ralph smirked

"Wait, you have scotch?!" Barry questioned in shock "You can't bust that out! William's here!"

"It wouldn't be a problem if he didn't know" Ralph smirked as he slipped out of the cortex

"What just happened?" Cisco asked "We went from Just Dance to hiding scotch from children….city's best role models for teenagers right here!"

-(=+=)-

Caitlin stepped onto the roof of the lab while pulling her coat over her body. The rain was falling hard that night, so thank goodness she had her hood on. She looked ahead of her and saw Nyssa sitting on the edge of the roof with her legs pulled up to her chest and her head buried in her knees. The assassin's once long and wavy hair was completely soaked, making it lie flat down her back.

"Nyssa? Are you alright?" Caitlin asked as she walked up behind her

"Please….just leave me alone….." Nyssa whispered without looking towards the other female

"We're all worried about you" Caitlin said as she sat down next to her, but there was no response "Oliver's awake. He's doing much better"

"He wouldn't be in this mess if I just did….better out there"

"There was nothing you could have done to stop what happened out there" Caitlin tried "Besides, you saved the guys' lives. If it weren't for you, they'd all be dead"

"If I had sent a charge through that sword….." Nyssa muttered as a tear escaped her eye

"Hey, don't think like that. Your actions weren't your own"

"Yes, they were" Nyssa replied "I wasn't strong enough to resist that….call. If I had just fought harder then…none of this would be happening…."

"Nyssa, I don't think you completely understand what happened the last few days" Caitlin started

"Yes Caitlin! I do!" Nyssa said suddenly as she turned to face the meta for the first time in the conversation "I didn't resist the call! I helped the sirens! I put the whole team in danger! I was the one that hurt Oliver!"

Caitlin was stunned by the sudden outbreak and by the time Nyssa finished her trail of thought, her voice was starting to break a little. By now, Nyssa was fighting back tears and Caitlin couldn't help but feel sorry for her

"Nyssa…."

"Just leave me alone….I don't want to hurt anyone else….please"

Caitlin looked over at Nyssa one more time, then stood up from the edge of the roof. She started walking back towards the way she came and couldn't help but notice how depressed the whole event really made her friend.

-(=+=)-

"Did you talk to her?" Barry asked as Caitlin walked back into the cortex, half soaked in rain water

"Yes I did" Caitlin replied

"And?" Cisco asked

"She's traumatized and playing Oliver's blame game" Caitlin reported

"Well that's just perfect" Barry muttered "So who's going to tell Oliver?"

"Don't you dare look at me! I've been the messenger all day and it's time you three step up!" Caitlin said immediately

"Okay then….not it!" Ralph called, grabbing everyone's attention "I don't know him as well as you two"

"And I don't know him as well as Barry" Cisco said before turning to Barry "Congratulations Zipper! You get to tell Oliver about his traumatized wife!"

"Gee, thanks Cisky" Barry groaned "Why is it that I always manage to get myself in these situations"

"Because you're gifted" Ralph teased "Now go!"

Barry rolled his eyes as he pushed open the door that led into the side room where Oliver and William were. Oliver was sitting up in bed, watching his son sketch something in a notebook. From his position, Barry could see that William was trying to sketch out two vigilantes; more specifically, ones that looked like him and Zoe in costume.

"So what do you think of this type of design?" William asked as he showed his father the part of the costume he had drawn on Zoe

"I think she'd like it. Maybe when you finish it, you can send her a picture or something" Oliver suggested

"I hope she likes this! We can hang it on the bulletin board in the bunker!"

Oliver just smiled at his son's idea. The team had recently put a bulletin board in the bunker so they could post important notices, but one of the boards had been taken over for just random things the team wanted to display. There were a couple drawings done by William and Zoe, a perfectly cut out center in a paper target form hitting the bullseye repeatedly, there was a robin hood arrow hanging at the top, and a ticket for a free box of mac n' cheese that Jacob put up there as a joke.

"I can't think of a better place for it" Oliver smiled, then turned to Barry "How's it going Barry?"

"For me, quite well seeing that you're better" Barry replied

"Have you found Nyssa?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, we did"

"And?"

"She' s on the roof"

"Okay….is she alright?"

"Depends on your definition of alright" Barry started "Caitlin went up to talk to her and based on what she said, it sounded like Nyssa was incredibly shaken up by the whole thing. Some would even say she's traumatized by the whole thing"

"I should go talk to her" Oliver said as he threw his legs to the side of the bed

When his legs were dangling over the side, Oliver had to bite his tongue to prevent a sound of discomfort from escaping. His whole chest stung, but at the very least, he wasn't cold. Thanks to the team, he wasn't stuck in some old tee shirt, but rather, the inner jacket of his suit, which Cisco had fixed for him right after the accident.

"Woah there, you should take it easy Ollie" Barry tried

"I'm fine. I've been through worse" Oliver grunted as he stood up for the first time in three days

To William and Barry, it was obvious Oliver was having a hard time keeping himself up, as he had to lean up against several things before regaining his balance. The two of them just watched as Oliver was finally able to walk, or limp around, on his own

"Wait, where are you planning on going?" William asked

"To go see Mom" Oliver said with a small smile "I'll be back soon. Just stay here, alright?"

"Okay then" William said as he went back to his drawing, knowing that his dad could handle everything on his own

"Need a hand at all?" Barry asked as he slowly walked at Oliver's side

"No, I think I got it" Oliver said as he pushed the door open

Caitlin, Cisco, and Ralph were all surprised to see Oliver walking out of the room. It was clear to them that he was still in pain, but they all knew that there was nothing they could do to stop him.

"She's on the roof?" Oliver asked while using the main computer station for a bit of support

"Yeah, she's still up there" Caitlin confirmed

After getting the confirmation, Oliver made his way out of the cortex, out into the hallway, and inside an elevator. After around twenty seconds of standing in the small room, the doors dinged and Oliver walked out into a small room with some windows that showed the roof. Even from the small room, he could hear the roar of the falling rain as well as see how hard it was falling. Through the watered down windows, he could see Nyssa still sitting on the edge of the roof. Oliver didn't waste any more time waiting and walked outside into the pouring rain.

Even over the sound of the roaring rain, Nyssa could still hear and recognize the footsteps behind her. When she was sure of who it was, she jumped up from her position on the ground, spun around, and looked Oliver straight in the eye

"Oliver….please. Don't come any closer" Nyssa said as she put her hands out in front of her and started taking a few steps back

"Nyssa, it's okay" Oliver tried

"No it's not. I don't want to hurt you again"

"You're not going to hurt me. I know you would never do something like that on purpose"

"I answered whatever call that was and purposefully stabbed you! How can you say that?!" Nyssa started, but then lowered her voice almost in a whisper "If I had sent a charge down the blade….I would have killed you….why would you think that I'm not dangerous!?"

"Because I know you" Oliver started as he walked closer "Your actions were out of your control and it wasn't your doing. It was the sirens. They're gone and they can't get to any of us again"

"But you don't know that for sure. I don't know that for sure! What if there's still the lingering feeling t-to….kill"

"Then you fight" Oliver tried, but Nyssa wasn't taking it so he started walking closer

"Oliver, stop! I don't want to risk it" Nyssa said as she started taking more steps back

"You're not risking anything. Everything's alright"

"I hurt Barry….I hurt William…..I almost killed you…." Nyssa said with a breaking voice "What makes you think this is risk free! I shouldn't be around you or anyone else I care for! I don't want to hurt them too"

"Nyssa, the sirens are gone and you were snapped out of their trance. They can't get to you or anyone else again"

"What if it isn't them? What if I…choose to go back to ways such as I did in my past?! How could anyone be safe!?" Nyssa almost shouted "I can't be around you like this. I have to go somewhere where I can't hurt anyone. You and William….just get away from me before I hurt you again"

By the time Nyssa finished what she was saying, Oliver could see tears streaming down her face, even in the pouring rain. He could almost feel his heart break at seeing his wife in such a panic, so he started to approach her. Nyssa tried to step back and get out of the way, but Oliver was a bit too quick for her, even in his injured state, and pulled her into his embrace

"Nyssa, it's okay" Oliver whispered as he nestled his head next to hers "You're okay. We're all okay and safe. You have nothing to worry about anymore…and if you still think this is your fault, then we all forgive you. No matter what happens out there, you will always be my Nyssa; the woman I fell in love with and married. The woman I fell in love with is strong, determined, and protective. Nothing can ever change that simple fact, not even some sirens on a path of revenge"

"I-I'm sorry…." Nyssa cried into Oliver's shoulder "I'm so sorry…."

Oliver kept one arm around his wife's shoulders while he put his other hand on the back of her head. He held her in his arms as he knelt down on the roof. When they were both sitting on the rooftop, Nyssa buried her head into her beloved's shoulder and Oliver could hear the muffled sounds of her crying. He just continued to hold onto her while watching the rain. Oliver knew enough about going through events like this to know that it just felt good to let it out but this was Nyssa, so she would have just hidden it from everyone and the guilt would have grown into something much worse.

-(=+=)-

Oliver and Nyssa both walked through the hallways of the lab, both soaking wet, in silence. They had spent the last hour and a half on the roof in the pouring rain, but it was nice in several ways. For a good portion of the time they were out there, Oliver and Nyssa just watched the rain fall and the flickering city lights. They could do that in Star City any time they wanted, but there was something special about doing it in Central City.

The two of them walked into the cortex, where Cisco, Caitlin, Barry, and Ralph were all standing. William wasn't there with them, so Oliver assumed he went back to their 'room' and went to bed.

"Glad to see you two made it in" Cisco started "Are you alright Nyssa?"

"Better, thank you" Nyssa replied while glancing up towards Oliver, giving him a small smile of thanks

"I hate to break up the party, but I'm going to head home for the night. It's been an incredibly long day and I'd like to go to bed" Caitlin stated "I'll see you guys tomorrow morning"

"Bye Cait" The team said in unison as Caitlin disappeared from sight

"We're probably going to call it a night as well" Oliver said "I don't think we mentioned it earlier, but thank you for allowing us to stay in the lounge while we've been here"

"It's not a problem man. You are all clean people so we don't mind sharing the space" Cisco said "Ralph, Barry and I are going to play a bit of Just Dance for old times' sake. If you'd like to join us, don't hesitate to come"

"Thank you for the invitation, but we'll be calling it a night" Oliver said as he started walking out of the room with Nyssa "Night guys"

"Night" The other replied

Oliver and Nyssa both walked back to the small lounge where they were staying. When they entered the room, they both saw William sprawled out on one of the couches with a blanket draped over his body. Thankfully, there was still one couch left and a blanket.

"You take the couch and I'll take the floor" Oliver said as she started walking over to his bag

"Are you crazy?" Nyssa asked "You're injured. You will be taking the couch and I'll take the floor"

"Are you sure that's what you want to do? I'm perfectly fine" Oliver said with a small grunt as he pulled his tee shirt over his head

"Yes, perfectly fine" Nyssa said after hearing the noise "Like I said. You get the couch and I'll take the floor"

Oliver knew he could argue with that, so he finished getting changed into his loose fitting clothes, the laid flat on the couch while looking up at the sky. Nyssa came over to Oliver while using an old tee shirt to dry her hair. She sat down on the floor underneath Oliver's head and he turned so he was looking down on her

"You should keep your hair like that more often" Oliver said "You look even more attractive when it's like that"

"Why thank you. I'll be sure to go jump in a lake before we go to another gala" Nyssa said with a small laugh "

"No, that wouldn't cut it" Oliver said as he leaned down and kissed her forehead "I want you all to myself"

"Hmm, a bit greedy aren't you?" Nyssa smirked "Nevertheless, it's getting late. I'm going to call it a night"

"Okay then, night Nys"

"Goodnight beloved"

-(=+=)-

Oliver woke up early the next morning when the sun was just starting to rise. A bit of sunlight was coming in through the higher windows, but it was still pretty dark. Oliver picked his head up from the pillow he had be resting it on and felt a bit of pain from the wound, but compared to yesterday, it was much better. Now in an upright position, Oliver saw that William was still sleeping on the other couch. He looked down slightly and saw Nyssa lying the floor while using her arm as a pillow. Since she was still on the floor, Oliver got up from the couch and knelt down by her side. Instead of just letting her lie there, Oliver wrapped his arms underneath her. He tried to pick her up, but when he tried, she woke up with a small groan

"Beloved….what are you doing?" Nyssa asked with one eyes closed, trying to adjust to the light

"I was trying to move you to the couch. Sorry about waking you up" Oliver replied as he let go of his grasp around her

"It's not a problem, but please don't do that again. You could end up hurting yourself even further" Nyssa started once she was sitting up "I don't want this so be prolonged…."

"You don't have to worry about anything" Oliver said before pulling her into a gentle kiss "I won't do anything stupid"

"Thank you" Nyssa replied "So what's the plan for today? Head back to Star City?"

"Yeah, we've already been here for almost two weeks and the city needs its mayor back" Oliver said "And I'm sure Elena would appreciate your return to the league"

"I'm going to need to find a way to get that girl on a tropical island with Andrew. They definitely deserve it after this"

"Assassin vacation days" Oliver chuckled "Who knew?"

"Well everyone likes tropical island paradises, even international assassins"

"Couldn't agree more" Oliver started "I'm going to start packing up the things we brought"

"I'll get the things in the cortex"

-(=+=)-

"So I guess this is the big parting" Cisco said while looking around the speed lab

All standing together was Caitlin, Barry, Cisco, Ralph, Iris, and Joe. Standing across from them was Oliver, Nyssa, and William. Off to the side was Amina with her things.

"I guess so" Oliver said before turning towards Amina "I think we should all be saying goodbye to you first"

"It was really nice getting to come here. Thanks for letting me see your world" Amina started, then turned to Nyssa "And thanks for not using a knife on me when I first came"

"You're most welcome. Don't hesitate to come and visit and maybe next time you come, we can all go to Star City. Oliver and I would be happy to show you how life works down there" Nyssa replied

"I'll keep that in mind, and if you want to visit my earth, give me a call because I can show you how life works in a tour bus" Amina laughed

"I'll stay away from the crowds, thanks" Nyssa said with a soft smile

"Alright then, I think I'm ready to get going" Amina said while turned towards Cisco

Cisco, who had his gloves and glasses on, held his arm out and created a breach for Amina. The watery portal almost seemed welcoming in a way as Amina gave one final wave to everyone before stepping through. Once it closed, Amina was gone and back on her earth

"And now that leaves us" Oliver said "Thanks again for everything while we've been here"

"No problem man" Cisco said "It was quite interesting, meeting doppelgangers and battling sirens. Good change in pace"

"What of those sirens? Is Wells handling it?" Oliver asked

"He and Jesse are keeping an eye on them and will so have them in their meta prison. If they need our help, then we will be right here waiting to jump over there" Barry replied

"Okay good"

"Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys! You should come to Star City next time!" William said

"We'd love to William" Caitlin smiled "And when you get home, don't forget to show Zoe the drawings you did"

"I'll do that!"

"Okay, are you two ready to go?" Oliver asked, now looking at his wife and son

"Yeah, are we using a breach or Nuriel?" William asked

"Well Cisco just got to showcase his so I guess it's my turn" Nyssa smiled "Thanks again for all the help!"

"No problem! Safe travels back!"

Nyssa let a small flame escape the tips of her fingers. It grew larger and larger until it was around twice as tall as Nyssa, then took the form of a phoenix. The flames circled around the three and the bright, white light filled the room. Team Flash shielded their eyes and when they opened them, the Queen family was gone with the fire.

"Well that was an interesting two weeks!" Ralph said

"No kidding, but now we have to get back to normal meta patrol" Caitlin replied "So come on, let's get going"

"Anyone else a bit weirded out by that phoenix?" Joe asked as the whole team walked out of the speed lab

-(=+=)-

Oliver, Nyssa, and William all felt a warm rush of air and opened their eyes. The three of them were now standing in the middle of their penthouse living room. Everything was as they left it, which was a 'win' in Oliver's book.

"It is good to be home!" Oliver said as he set his bag down "But I still have to go into city hall and you still have to get to Finiks Jurf"

"That is correct" Nyssa replied

"What about me?" William asked while looking at his parents

"Well it's Thursday which means it a school day for you" Oliver said while looking at the clock, which read ten on eight in the morning "Think you can make it through a day at school?"

"I suppose" William said as he walked off to his room to get his backpack after clearly hoping he could take the day off

"I'm going to go get dressed" Oliver said as he walked off towards his bedroom

Nyssa followed him with her bag and when they walked inside, Oliver made his way to the closet to find his business suit. While he was doing that, Nyssa started getting in her armor since she was leaving for Finiks Jurf soon. After getting into all her armor, Nyssa walked over to a mirror and grabbed a ribbon which she had been using to hold her hair up. As she tied her hair up in place, she saw the key sitting underneath the mirror. She was about to pick it up when she heard a small groan from the closet. Nyssa stopped what she was doing and walked towards the sound. Standing in the middle of the closet was Oliver, trying to put on his blazer all while he was still injured.

"You said you wouldn't do anything stupid" Nyssa said as she walked up behind him and helped him put the blazer on

"This qualifies as stupid?" Oliver asked

"I was only around ten feet away. You could have asked for help" Nyssa said while fixing the back

"Well thank you for coming to my rescue" Oliver said before pulling her into a kiss

"You are most welcome" Nyssa smiled "Do you need help with anything else?"

"I just need to get some stuff from the office"

"Okay, then you have time for this" Nyssa said as she revealed the key that had been sitting underneath the mirror

"I guess we kind of forgot about that" Oliver said with a smile "We have a house to move into"

"Yes we do. Should we plan on starting to move things there this weekend?"

"That would be nice. I can't wait to have an actual backyard rather than the roof" Oliver laughed

"If you are looking forward to the backyard, then you'll love training in the basement"

"How were we able to get such a perfect house?"

"We're vigilantes and it technically belongs to the league" Nyssa smirked "One of the many perks about disbanding it; I got all the assets"

"Dad! Mom! Are you ready to go?" William called from the living room

"Be there in a second buddy!" Oliver called bac, then turned to Nyssa "I guess duty calls"

"As it always does when we're trying to have a friendly conversation" Nyssa said as she walked to the doorway "We'll be waiting for you"

After Nyssa left the bedroom, Oliver walked off towards the home office and grabbed his bag that he usually took into city hall. He had been working on a couple things while he was in Central City, but he had no doubt that the work had piled up while he was gone. Maybe he'd get lucky and find out that Quentin and Rene took care of it, but it seemed unlikely. Oliver walked back out into the living room and saw his son and wife standing there waiting for him

"I guess we're all ready to go?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, I'll see you both tonight" Nyssa said as she gave her husband a quick kiss, then William a hug

"See you tonight" Oliver smiled before he and William stepped out the front door.

Once they were gone, Nyssa created the famous fire phoenix and stood their waiting. First came the blinding light, then the warm rush of air. When both those things passed, Nyssa opened her eyes and found herself in the entrance hall of Finiks Jurf. It was pretty empty for the most part, so Nyssa walked outside to try and find Elena. Her best guess was that she was sparring, since it was around seven at night. She started walking towards one of the many large caves, that seemed more like castles, when she saw Andrew approaching.

"Andrew!" Nyssa called, grabbing his attention

"Hey Nyssa. Glad to see you made it back" Andrew started "I suppose you're looking for my wife?"

"Yeah, do you know where I could find her?"

"Last time I saw her, she was in the library. She's probably still in there"

"Great, thanks!" Nyssa said before continuing on her path to find Elena

After around three minutes of walking, Nyssa was finally approaching the large, wooden doors to the library. When she was right outside, she pushed them open and walked inside. There were a couple other people in there, but Nyssa didn't see Elena among those on the first floor. She changed her direction and ascended the stairs on the side of the large room, leading up to the second floor. When she was up there, she could easily spot Elena sitting at a table while writing something down.

"Elena?" Nyssa said in a quieter voice as she approached her best friend

"Hey, glad to see you decided to stop by" Elena said with a small laugh

"Sorry about that. I only expected to be gone for a couple days"

"It's not a problem. How was Central City?"

"Interesting"

"C'mon, I know when you're not telling me something and right now, it's almost crystal clear that you're lying. Tell me what happened"

"It's not something that can be fixed by talking about it"

"Try me"

"While I was there, Oliver, William and I traveled to another earth, met our doppelgangers, saw a concert get blown up, got blamed for the attack, traveled back to our earth but only to discover that my doppelganger followed on a path of justice, tried to fight off three meta humans who wanted to steal something but ended up being put in….a trance….stole something for them…a-and…."

"Come on, tell me!" Elena pleaded "How bad can it be?"

"I-I...stabbed….Oliver"

"W-what?" Elena asked with a confused expression "I am incredibly confused right now. I need more detail. Tell me everything"

"Everything?"

"We have time"

"Okay then…."

Nyssa went on to explain everything that happened to Elena; from William meeting Barry to being snapped out of the sirens' trance. Elena listened for the whole hour it took to explain it all. Even though both of them had seen some crazy and near impossible things happen while in the league, Elena wasn't able to say that she wasn't surprise by all of this

"And that's brings us to the present" Nyssa said, now looking straight at Elena "You said you wanted to know everything…."

"And I don't regret saying that" Elena said "But even after all of that, it's still pretty clear that you're not one hundred percent. What's going on?"

"For the past day, I've had this…lingering feeling that something's going to happen involving the sirens. It may be me, or for all I know, it could be the teams, the league, or even my family"

"You don't think the fight with the sirens is over"

"Not in the slightest. It almost seems too simple; come to this earth, steal something, and go back to theirs. I think there's something bigger happening here"

"Well you have a league of almost a thousand assassins at your command. I'm sure we can figure this out"

"You want to get involved in this?"

"You're my best friend, almost family. Of course I want to help"

"Thanks Elena. You have no idea how happy I am to hear that"

"Don't mention it. It's our job after all. When the world could be in danger, the league is there to stop the threat"

"It is in the job description" Nyssa said with a small laugh "Alright then, we'll keep an eye out for them but until then, I heard a rumor of something happening in Armenia…."

 **Author's Note: Just a small announcement. Samoan Warrior will be resuming and the next update should be out within the next day or so. Queens and Assassins will follow, and then Old Friend's Fire. Those four stories will be on an alternating schedule with updates coming out every other day or something like that**


	26. Heir To The Lotus

The sun was just barely touching the early morning sky with the dreaded alarm clock came alive with obnoxious ringing. Oliver groaned loudly with his head in his pillow as he slapped his hand across the bedside table until he found the snooze button. He remained buried in the pillow before turning his head to the side. Nyssa was lying on her side so her back was turned towards Oliver, but he had a feeling she was awake

"Hey Nys" Oliver whispered as he inched closer

"Hmmm" She mumbled in reply, obviously trying to go back to bed

"Do you know what today is?" Oliver asked cheekily with William in mind

"Possibly?"

"It's Wednesday" Oliver whispered with a small smirk "Happy hump day"

"You Americans and your fascination with camels. You should talk to Dakota more often. He rides them on a daily basis and would appreciate this day of the week more than I would"

"I will keep that in mind, but for right now, I've got to go make sure William's up"

Oliver climbed out from underneath the covers on the bed and lazily threw on his favorite hoodie. With the sweater on, he walked out of the bedroom, down the hallway, and into William's doorway. He heard rustling from behind the sliding wooden door, so he gave a knock before pushing it open

"Hey William?" You up buddy?" Oliver called

"Yeah, I just can't find my pair of Wednesday socks" William replied while rustling through his closet drawers

"Did you check your second drawer?"

William glanced down, then pulled open the drawer his dad was talking about. As if my magic, William's favorite pair of socks were lying in the middle of the wads of clothes. He picked them up and started shoving them over his bare feet after thanking his dad.

Oliver walked back into his own bedroom to get ready to leave with William and saw that Nyssa was already up and getting dressed in the more normal looking portion of her league armor.

"I see you got up pretty well" Oliver smiled as he walked up behind her and kissed the top of her head

"You seem to keep forgetting a simple fact" Nyssa said as she relax in his embrace "Every morning is a good morning as long as I'm with you"

"You're a gem, you know that?" Oliver grinned

"Yes, and a very humble one at that" Nyssa laughed before giving her beloved a quick kiss

"Yes, the humblest of them all" Oliver laughed "Hey, have you seen my tie?"

"Your Wednesday tie as you call it?"

"Yeah, that one"

"I believe it is right here" Nyssa said as she handed Oliver a silver tie

"Thanks Nys" Oliver said as he took it and started tying it

Nyssa was dressed and ready before Oliver was, so while he was putting on the black blazer to accompany his very pale blue shirt, Nyssa crept up in between him and the mirror

"Hey Nys, I kind of need to use that" Oliver chuckled

"No, you need something better than a mirror" Nyssa replied while staring at Oliver "You stand in front of it and yet you still manage to get your tie crooked"

"Funny how things work" Oliver smiled while Nyssa fixed his tie, but then reached his hand to the side of her forehead and pulled on part of her hair gently, releasing it from the ribbon it was being held in place by

"You have an eye for crooked ties, but my eye is on your face and usually, you have a strand of hair around that size that can never be held in the ponytail" Oliver said when Nyssa looked up at him

"Hmm, guess you know random specifics on topics such as these as well" Nyssa smiled

"I guess so" Oliver said as he did the same to the other side of Nyssa's head so she had two whisps decorating the side of her face "But I also know that William has a specific pair of socks he wears every Wednesday"

"The off white ones with the red toe and two red strips on the ankles" Nyssa started "I do the laundry too"

"Looks like it's about time to start breakfast" Oliver said after noticing the time "I'll meet you in the kitchen, but first, there's something I need to get from the office"

"Sounds good to me"

Oliver and Nyssa both slipped out of the bedroom. Nyssa met up with William in the kitchen while Oliver walked to the end of the hallway where his office was. When he stepped inside, he gathered the things he would need for the meetings he had that day then walked towards the printer and pulled a piece of paper from it. Oliver quickly read it over and laughed silently to himself before walking out to meet his wife and son

"Happy international day of the camel Dad!" William said when Oliver came into the kitchen

"Happy hump day to you too Buddy" Oliver laughed "Cereal for breakfast I see"

"Yeah, I really wanted cereal for some reason" William replied as he poured himself another bowl of cinnamon coated flakes

Oliver turned his attention towards his wife, who was leaning up against the counted with a cup of tea in her hands. She could almost feel Oliver's gaze so she moved the cup down from her lips

"You are staring beloved" Nyssa said with a smile that Oliver could only describe as cute

"That I am" Oliver replied with the same smile "I've got something for you"

Oliver put his messenger bag on the counter, opened it, and rummaged through some files, looking for the little present. While he was doing that, William had his focus on his bowl of cereal and Nyssa's on her cup. She was still taking a sip when Oliver pulled out a piece of legal paper and went to her right side. He positioned it in between them so they could both read off of it. Nyssa only had to see what was on the paper for four seconds before almost choking on the tea. She quickly swallowed, looked at Oliver, and just laughed

"What do you think?" Oliver asked while laughing

"I have never seen something for accurate" Nyssa laughed "How did you find that?!"

"Random browsing done by Rene" Oliver answered

And it was as random as they come. Oliver had shown Nyssa a political world map, but instead of there being dark lines to show the country boarders, there were completely different lines that divided the countries into different sections. The whole map was titled by 'How Americans See The World- Stereotype Map'. Each section was titled with stereotype based on the general area but the one that killed Nyssa was the one that labeled Russia; Communists, Crime, and Vodka.

"It's so true!" Nyssa laughed as she continued reading the map "This is amazing!"

"Glad you found as much enjoyment out of it as I did" Oliver smiled

"Is this really how you Americans see the world?" Nyssa asked in disbelief, but with humor in her tone

"Before the island, that's exactly how I saw the world; by stereotypes. Now I can just look back on it and laugh"

"I have to show this to Elena. Can I take this with me?"

"Sure, I can always get another copy later on"

"Great, thank you" Nyssa smiled before looking over at the clock "Shoot, I need to get going. I'm supposed to be helping with the training of new recruits and I'm going to run late!"

"Right, we should get going too" Oliver said as he set down his cup of coffee

The three of them were able to quickly clean up the breakfast mess before getting the last few things they needed before departing for their daily tasks. William was slipping his shoes while Oliver stuffed the last few things he needed into his bag.

"I guess I'll see you at six?" Oliver asked, now facing Nyssa

"Yes you will" Nyssa smiled in reply before kissing her husband, then turning to William "You'll do as you do?"

"Yes, and I'll do it well!" William replied cheerfully

"That's what I like to hear" Nyssa said happily before giving William a kiss on the top of his head "And don't worry about that test you have today. You'll do fantastic!"

"Thanks Mom! See you tonight!"

Oliver and William both grabbed their bags and walked out of the penthouse. Nyssa locked the door behind them and then walked into the middle of the living room. She let a small fire escape her hands. A phoenix form was created from the flames and soon started circling around Nyssa. She watched the ground as a blinding white light overtook her sight.

-(=+=)-

Since the creation of the league, Elena and Andrew had altered their lifestyle so they could work better with the constant changing of time zones. Normally people in Norway woke up with the sun rise, but the Tsaoussis couple was completely different. Since Elena worked closely with Nyssa, she usually woke up at around five in the evening and went to bed at around six or seven in the morning.

It was around four in the evening when Andrew heard the sounds of coughing coming from the bathroom. He opened his eyes and turned on his side. Andrew found that the side of the bed that Elena slept on was empty, so he assumed it was her in the bathroom. All week, Elena had been feeling like crap and assumed it was something she picked up in Odesa a couple days prior.

Andrew heard a sound like someone was throwing up, so he got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. Just before he entered, he heard the toilet flush.

"Lena? Are you alright?" Andrew asked as he stepped into the bathroom after seeing her leaning up against the side of the bath tub, dressed in her league armor like she had been about ready to go

"Just sick" Elena replied tiredly

"This is why you shouldn't go to Odesa when the flu is flying around in the area" Andrew said as he sat down next to her

Elena rested her head on Andrew's shoulder when he wrapped his arm around hers. He noticed the sweat that had beaded up on her forehead, so he leaned over and grabbed a wash cloth from the side of the tub

"Should I let Nyssa know that you won't be able to do the extraction in Cambodia?" Andrew asked while dabbing the wash cloth on her forehead

"It will pass….just give me a few minutes" Elena replied

"Are you sure?"

"I've been going all week with this. A couple more days isn't a problem

"Okay then"

-(=+=)-

Oliver had just dropped William off at school and was now walking towards the elevator of city hall. People greeted him as he came inside like people from different floors and other city officials. He had been waiting for the elevator doors when he heard steps coming from his left

"Hey, I didn't think I'd run into you!" Tarren said as he stood by Oliver's side "How was the trip to Central City?"

"It was….eventful, but that's what made it memorable" Oliver answered "How's the city been while I've been away?"

"Well from what I've heard. I know for sure that everyone down on the security floor has been looking forward to your return. The people who step into your place when you leave aren't consistent with directions for where and when they want my guys to be somewhere" Tarren groaned with annoyance

"Understandable, but I don't think I'm going to be leaving for that long again" Oliver said as he and Tarren both walked into the elevator

"Great! Well all of us look forward to getting to work with you" Tarren started after pressing the button for the 6th floor and Oliver the 14th "I haven't seen Nyssa in awhile. How's her job going?"

"Quite well from what she's told me"

"Good. Well do remind her that she owes me a sparring match. The rookies are afraid to hit back and it makes the matches too quick and easy"

"I will be sure to let her know. She would enjoy getting to kick your ass" Oliver laughed when the elevator dinged with a 6 displayed

"Great, thanks! I'll see you around" Tarren said as he got off the elevator

The doors closed again and Oliver was left alone in the elevator. He watched as the number 6 slowly changed to a fourteen. The elevator dinged again and the doors opened up. When Oliver walked into the hallway, he was greeted by several of his assistants and other council members. On his way to his office, he saw Rene serving himself a cup of coffee from the side

"Morning Hos!" Rene called when he saw Oliver pass by

"Morning Rene. How are you doing?" Oliver asked

"Quite well. It's a nice Wednesday, Zoe was in a good mood since she's got a dance practice after school, and as far as I know, I don't have a crammed schedule" Rene replied "You?"

"William's going to slay a biology test today and all is well with the league so Nyssa's in a great mood" Oliver answered

"Good to hear" Rene replied "I didn't get a chance to tell you before you, Nyssa, and William left the bunker last night, but that maneuver you pulled with the truck and smoke bomb was pretty smart"

"Thanks, but I actually learned it from Dig"

"Huh, guess I'll have to ask him to teach it to me"

"By the way, Lenora and Jacob weren't there last night. Do you know why?"

"Oh, yeah. While you and Nyssa were in Central City, they both got jobs working as waiters at a restaurant down town. You know, the Italian one"

"Ah yes, that place is one of my favorites"

"Apparently there was a large party coming in and they were called to stay later, but they called afterwards and said it was well worth all the tips they got"

"Good to hear it was worth it" Oliver said

"By the way, how are you doing after that whole….sirens thing?"

"Much better now that I'm back in the city. Little to my knowledge, Nyssa had a supply of eternal water hiding in the piano bench so she forced me to use it last night. Not even a scar from the whole thing"

"Piano bench?"

"She thought it would be a good place to put it since the bench looks like it doesn't have a compartment"

"Ah, I see" Rene started "By the way, when are you planning on moving into Lenora and Jacob's old house?"

"We were planning on starting to pack up tomorrow night so we can get moved in this weekend. I'm sure between William, Nyssa, and I, we can get moved in at least halfway"

"Why don't me and Zoe come over and help? We're free and I know Zoe would like to help out if she can hang out with William more"

"And talk about their code names and preferred weapons for when they get out on the field" Oliver said with a small laugh

"Okay, Zoe still has a lot to learn before I even think about letting her beat up a thug" Rene pointed out immediately

"I know, I know. Hopefully they'll both be ready around the same time" Oliver started "By the way, would you make Zoe use a gun out on the field?"

"I would want her to carry at least two when she's out, but for preferred weapon, that's up to her. She's mentioned something about wanting to learn how to use duel scimitar swords…I don't know where she got that idea but it just came up one day"

"That will be interesting to see, but she should get a chance to work with Nyssa and maybe visit Finiks Jurf. Surely someone there could help her find her strong suits in battle"

"I would really appreciate that hos, thanks" Rene started "So are we a yes on Zoe and I helping out this weekend?"

"That would be great if you could come. I need to get some boxes tonight"

"Okay then, we'll be there with refreshments or at least some money for pizza later"

"I'll keep that in mind" Oliver laughed "Thanks Rene"

"No problem, now I should probably get back to work"

Rene took his cup of coffee and walked back to his office. Oliver got himself a cup as well, then went into his own office. He took a moment to stretch out his legs before sitting down in the large chair and starting in on his work load. As Oliver read over some new proposals, he couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Nyssa at her 'job'. She was probably having some fun sparring with someone while he was stuck in city hall. Maybe if he asked nicely, he could trade with her for a day or two.

-(=+=)-

Elena swung her sword blades towards Nyssa's side, but she leaned to her side before they could strike her. Nyssa used her own sword to block Elena's barrage of attacks that followed and had to fall back a bit in order to regain her step. Nyssa lunged forward towards Elena with her sword side facing her so it would only push her opponent back. Elena predicted Nyssa's move and spun out of the way with her right sword over her head and the left one towards her center. When she stopped the twirl, she was positioned for another attack. She was about to run towards Nyssa, but felt dizzy for a brief moment and hesitated. In that moment, Nyssa was able to run forward and knock her right hand to the mat.

"You got distracted" Nyssa said as she offered Elena a hand up

"Sorry, just tired" Elena said once she was standing up

"Are you sure you don't want to stop and get some rest? You're supposed to be leaving for Cambodia and you're persistent, but going with a cold or even the flu is a terrible idea"

"I'm fine, but thanks for the concern" Elena said "Let's go again"

Nyssa shrugged her shoulders and took her stance across from Elena. Nyssa made the first move and ran towards Elena, but the light brown haired woman was able to see where Nyssa was trying to go and moved out of the way before the Phoenix's sword would have slashed her leg. Elena started doing a move similar to a heaven and earth routine with escrima sticks, but with her swords. She circled around Nyssa for a couple seconds, Nyssa being sure to block the attacks, but then she saw an opening near Nyssa's shoulder. Elena tried to distract Nyssa with lower attacks and she fell for it, but as soon as Elena tried to lower her blade on Nyssa's shoulder, she was pushed back by the side of Nyssa's sword. Elena stumbled back and immediately felt dizzy while regaining her step. Nyssa was about to attack again, but saw her friend holding her head slightly

"Elena? Are you alright?" Nyssa asked as she lowered her guard and approached her friend "I think you should sit down"

"No, just give me a minute" Elena replied "It will pass"

Elena stood there for a moment with her swords in one hand and after a couple seconds, she was able to stand back up normally. She turned towards her side and saw that Nyssa had a look of concern on her face

"I really don't think you should keep going on like this" Nyssa urged

"I'm fine, really. I've been able to cope with this all week and today is just another day" Elena stated

"Yeah, but a cold should have passed after a week. Have you seen one of the medics?"

"I didn't see a point. I know this is going to pass eventually and I know how to take care of myself"

"Okay, if you insist" Nyssa started "But I have some things I need to take care of around the cliff. I'll see you later on up in the science division for the booster weapons trial?"

"Yeah, I'll be up there" Elena replied

Nyssa put her sword back in the sheath on her back, then walked out of the cave they had been training in for the last couple hours. Besides practicing with some rookies and talking with Zayn about the current booster weapons project, Nyssa was also supposed to be helping with the check of the Eastern Bratva since the league had gained control of that division, so that's what she headed off to do

-(=+=)-

"And who knows how to identify which type of conflict in the central idea in a work of literature?" Mrs. Jackson, the AP English 9 teacher asked the 7th period class "Yes Maddie?"

"View dialogue and determine the character's problem and if it's internal or external" Maddie, a girl in William's class replied

"Excellent. With that in mind, I want you all to do that and the other steps we reviewed while completing your homework tonight" Mrs. Jackson called, but then the dismissal bell rang "And remember you have a test Friday on the last four chapters in 'Of Mice and Men'!"

All the students got up from their seats and started packing up their belongings so they could go home for finally relax. William usually met up with Zoe after school and they would walk down to city hall, which was around four blocks away from the high school. Usually, they would do their homework together while their dads finished up their office work. On occasion, they would go get dinner together, if Nyssa wasn't going to be able to make it, and then go to the bunker.

On his way to the cafeteria, where he met up with Zoe, William saw Tom and Jasper heading out the other doors together. They all exchanged quick waves before continuing their separate ways. Since Tom and Jasper lived relatively close to each other, they usually walked home together. Kaida was a different story though. Since she was a trained assassin, Jinja wasn't worried about her being jumped on the streets since she could easily fight them off. Although it was against school rules, and she could even get arrested for it, Kaida always carried three knives on her even when she was at school. William had learned this within the first month of school and after Kaida reassured him that they were well hidden, William didn't think she would get caught.

William walked into the cafeteria and saw Zoe fumbling through her backpack like she was looking for something. The teenage boy approached and stood over to her side while she kept going through her black and purple bag

"Whatcha looking for?" William asked

"I think I left my assignment in Mr. Quinto's room" Zoe said after confirming her assignment wasn't in her bag "I'll be right back!"

"Okay, don't be long!" William called back as Zoe ran out of the cafeteria and up the stairwell

William didn't have to wait for long before Zoe ran back down the stairs with a textbook and small packet in hand. She put both things in her bag, zipped it up, and threw it on her shoulders.

"So are you ready to go?" Zoe asked with a happy smile

"Yeah, let's get going" William replied

The two freshmen walked out of Everwood High School and onto the streets of the city. They had a certain pathway that they would take every day and so instead of trying to switch it up, they took that route. It involved some corner turning, street crossing, and even a park to cross through.

When they were finally outside of city hall, William and Zoe hurried towards the building. Both walked inside and towards the elevator. The secretaries at the main desk recognized the two kids and waved to them as they passed by. William and Zoe returned the waves before walking into the elevator along with another man that worked a couple of floors above them. When the elevator dinged, marking the 14th floor, William and Zoe both walked out and into the hallway

"Afternoon William, Zoe" Natalie, Oliver's assistant, said as the two freshman walked towards the offices

"Hey Natalie!" They both replied in sync

William pushed open the door to his father's office and held it open for Zoe. She gave a smile of thanks before walking inside the office

"Hey buddy. Hey Zoe. How was school?" Oliver asked from his desk

"Average day, like always" William replied

"Yup, Same old same old" Zoe said

"Good to hear. Did you get loaded with homework?" Oliver asked

"Four subjects" William said with a groan

"Really? Three for me and a large chapter test on Friday" Zoe said

"Sounds like you guys got your work cut out for you tonight. I'll let you get to work then, but I have a meeting at four thirty so you guys will be alone for around a half hour" Oliver said

"Okay, thanks for the heads up" William said from the seating area where he and Zoe were getting set up

"Hey William? Do you have the notes from chapters three and four of the novel? I don't have the part on developing conflicts…."

-(=+=)-

"So what are these weapons going to be used for?" Elena asked as she and Nyssa walked into the cave belonging to the science and medical division.

"Zayn wanted to start this project to merge the boosters I used before creating the league along with weapons in the league. Right now, he's working on making a bow but he's got something for a sword. He wanted to get it dispersed to high ranking members of the league after we gave our seals of approval" Nyssa replied

"Sounds interesting. I'd like to try those out at some point"

"Don't worry, I bet you will at some point in the near future"

The two leaders of the league came to the main entrance to the labs where Zayn worked. Nyssa pushed the large doors open and they were immediately met by swarms of scientists and engineers all bustling around, each working on their own projects. Nyssa only had to look around for a few moments before spotting Zayn's dark hair paired with his very modified league armor. Both women weaved in between groups of workers to get to Zayn. As they moved Elena could feel small dizzy spells coming on and off

"I see you've been working hard" Nyssa said once she was behind Zayn who was looking at a longsword with several modifications so it could work with a booster

"That I have, and I believe it will work rather well" Zayn said as he turned around "Thanks for coming up here to see this. It means a lot"

"It's not a problem. We're actually quite serious to see how these work" Nyssa said

"Well before you start jumping to conclusions, let me just a quick run through of how it works so if it does end up going through, you two can practice with them and learn the mechanics" Zayn said

While Zayn ran through the mechanics and other workings of the sword, Elena was starting to get light headed. She tried to brush it off, but it wasn't working very well. It wasn't long before Elena felt her legs starting to get weak from underneath her.

"…So when this is turned to the right, it will lock in place and provide an extra boost to the sword's power" Zayn said

Elena felt herself getting weaker and weaker but she couldn't figure out why. She suddenly felt her legs shake like they were going to give out from underneath her, so instinctively, she reached out for something to steady herself on. Instead of taking hold of a table, Elena grabbed Nyssa's shoulder, but wasn't able to hold on for long before her vision became fuzzy and she fell back. As soon as Nyssa felt someone's hand on her shoulder, she turned around but just in time to see Elena collapse to the ground

"Elena!" Nyssa shouted as she watched her friend fall back

"Oh my god, what just happened?!" Zayn questioned as he got on the ground next to Nyssa, who was trying to wake her friend up

"Hey, Elena! Elena, wake up!" Nyssa called over and over again, but it had no effect "Someone go find Andrew!"

One of the scientists, who had gathered as soon as Elena hit the ground, ran out of the lab to go find the right hand's husband, who was in charge of extraction coordination.

"What happened exactly?!" Zayn questioned

"I don't know! She's had a cold of some sort for the past week apparently, but I didn't think it was strong enough to take her out!" Nyssa exclaimed

"Well thank god we share a cave with the medical division" Zayn said gratefully "We can get her there and find the cause"

Nyssa nodded but with a look of panic on her face. When she had moved out of the way, Zayn picked Elena off the ground and held her in his arms bridal style. The other workers in the lab quickly made a pathway, then Zayn and Nyssa both rushed out of the lab and through some other hallways until they reached the doors to the main med wing. As soon as they entered, Zayn grabbed the attention of one of the medics, who immediately recognized the people that had come in.

"What happened exactly?!" The medic questioned after Zayn put Elena on one of the cots

"I'm not sure. She just passed out of now where" Zayn started

"She said she's been sick all week by she's been brushing it off like a common cold" Nyssa added in

"Abby!" The medic called to an older teen on the side

The teen quickly stopped what she was doing and ran to the medic's side.

"What do you need me to do Saskia?" Abigail asked the medic, who had the back of her hand up against Elena's forehead

"Get in IV going and find Asher. He's got trauma experience and can offer more help with this" Saskia said

Abigail nodded and quickly hurried off to find the things necessary to help out. Nyssa and Zayn, who were standing off to the side with worried expression on their faces, watched as Abigail returned and got an IV started while the other medic, Asher, tried to get information from Saskia.

"What's going on?! Where's my wife?!" Andrew said frantically as he ran through the doors to the med wing, but his question was immediately answered by the small group of medics standing over one of the beds. "What happened to her?!"

"She just passed out of nowhere. We're trying to find the cause" Saskia said "Can you tell us anything that could help?"

"All I know is that she's been sick for the past week. She's believed that it was just a cold or maybe the flu that's been going around Odesa and that she picked it up on her last trip. She's been throwing up when she wakes up and has mentioned a couple dizzy spells" Andrew said once he was at her side

"Okay, Abby, take a swab sample and get it to the lab to test for a virus. Calliope should be in there if you need help" Saskia instructed "Asher, check for any symptoms of physical trauma. For all we know this could be related to an old battle wound"

As soon as instructions were given, Asher and Abigail split off from the group to find the cause of Elena's predicament. Andrew stayed at his wife's side, holding her hand like he was going to lose her, while Nyssa and Zayn stood off to the side.

Around twenty minutes had passed and Asher had deemed that the cause of her unconsciousness wasn't due to physical trauma and that it had to be some sort of virus. They were all still waiting on results from the lab when Andrew felt Elena's hand move slightly. He quickly directed his attention to her eyes, which were slowly opening.

"Andrew…." She muttered in barely a whisper

"Hey, try to save your strength" He tried while still holding her hand

"What…happened?"

"You passed out but don't worry, Saskia, Abby, and Asher are trying to find the cause" Andrew started "Do you have any idea what it could be?"

Elena shook her head to the side, telling him she didn't know what was going on either. While Andrew sat with her, Nyssa and Zayn still stood off to the side.

"So not that I don't think Elena isn't important, but what's going to happen with that extraction in Cambodia that she was supposed to lead?" Zayn asked

"There's no way I'm letting her try to make that deadline" Nyssa started

"Then who's going to go? All of our other leaders are out around the world and wouldn't be able to get here and complete the task before the deadline"

"I'm going" Nyssa said, shocking Zayn slightly

"Don't you have to get back to Oliver and William?"

"Both of them know Elena and would understand the sudden absence" Nyssa said as she pulled her phone out from her pocket "I'll be right back. Let me know if they find anything"

"Got it"

-(=+=)-

"Shouldn't Mom be back by now?" William asked from the counter of the kitchen

"Yeah, but she's probably just running a bit behind" Oliver said from the stove top "If something's happening, she'd call us and let us know"

"Okay then" William said "You're cooking pasta, right?"

"Yeah, angel hair and meatballs to be specific"

"Awesome! I love this stuff!" William said with a small lick of his lips

"Well it's almost done so you don't have to worry about waiting long" Oliver said

William watched as his dad walked over to the sink where a strainer was set up. He poured the pot of pasta over the strainer and shook out the excess water. When the pasta was ready, Oliver took a few minutes to fix the meatballs.

"Here you go buddy" Oliver said as he slid a bowl of pasta across the counter

"Cool! I'm going to make some toast" William said

"Why make toast when we've got breadsticks?"

"We have breadsticks?!" William asked excitedly

"Yeah. The oven is almost warmed up. If you can wait around five minutes, they'll be ready"

"I can wait! I'll get a pan ready!"

William jumped up from his stool and immediately started fumbling around in a drawer until he pulled out a cooking tray and some aluminum foil. While he was putting the breadsticks on the covered tray, Oliver's phone started vibrating in his pocket.

"Who's that?" William asked

"It's Mom" Oliver said after looking at the caller ID "I'll be right back"

Oliver stepped out of the kitchen and into the living room so he had a bit of privacy. When he was a decent distance away, he clicked the 'accept call' button and put the phone up to his ear

"Hey, where are you?" Oliver asked when he picked up "William and I are finishing up making dinner"

 _"_ _Shoot"_ Nyssa started _"Look Beloved, I am truly sorry about this, but I can't make it home tonight. Something came up"_

"What's going on? Is everything alright?"

 _"_ _I'm fine, but it's Elena"_

"Is she alright?"

 _"_ _Not exactly. She's been sick for the last week but she's still pushed herself to complete the tasks of the league. Andrew said she had been getting worse and then today was just the last leg. She passed out while we were testing some new weapons with Zayn"_

"Do they know what type of virus it is?"

 _"_ _Not yet, but results should be in soon" Nyssa started "Elena was supposed to lead an extraction to Cambodia, but since she's in no condition to fight or travel, I need to take her place since we don't have any other extraction leaders at the cliff right now"_

"Okay, when do you think you'll be back?"

 _"_ _Thursday night, maybe Friday night if something jumps the rails" Nyssa replied "Like I said earlier, I'm really sorry about all of this. It just came up so quickly and I don't know how else to handle it on such short notice"_

"Don't worry, I completely understand. Elena needs help and after all she's done for us, this is the least you can do for her"

 _"_ _So you're not angry by the absence I will be taking?"_

"Not at all"

 _"_ _Thank goodness"_ Nyssa started _"The plane will be leaving soon so I need to get going"_

"Okay, I'll tell William" Oliver started "Love you Nys. Be safe out there"

 _"_ _Don't worry beloved. I wouldn't leave you" Nyssa said with almost a visible smile "Love you too. See you Friday?"_

"Yeah, see you then"

Oliver hung up the phone and stuffed the small device back into his pocket. He turned back around and went back into the kitchen, where William was waiting by the oven, watching the breadsticks toast.

"Is Mom coming home soon?" William asked

"No, unfortunately. You remember Elena, right?"

"Yeah, one of the bridesmaids at the wedding. Mom's right hand in the league"

"Right. Well Elena has been helping Nyssa and I out ever since the league was created. She never asked for anything in return after fulfilling huge favors to us" Oliver started "Apparently Elena is really sick and had to travel to Cambodia for a league extraction. Since it's so last minute, Mom's going to take her place and lead the mission instead"

"So when is she expecting to be back?"

"Around Thursday to Friday night at the latest" Oliver replied

"So two to three days" William said in a disappointed tone

"Don't worry, she'll be back soon" Oliver urged "And don't worry. When she's able to, she'll call us and give us updates"

"Okay, good!"

-(=+=)-

Nyssa hung up the phone after talking to Oliver and then walked back into the med wing. She went over to Zayn first and let him know what was going on

"I just let Oliver know of the change. Since you have quite a lot of leadership experience, will you assist Andrew in watching over the league while I'm away?" Nyssa asked

"I'd be honored" Zayn replied

"Thank you. I'll let Andrew know and then be on my way before I run late"

Nyssa walked to the empty side of the bedside and she could see that Elena looked incredibly exhausted, and with good reasons. When she was standing across from him, Andrew picked his head up and looked at her while Elena tilted her head to the side

"I just let Oliver know what was happening. Since he can handle everything back in the city, I'll take Elena's place on the Cambodia mission" Nyssa said

"Great, thank you so much" Andrew said in thanks

"And just to let you know, Zayn will be assisting you, but mostly leading, the league while I'm away. Don't worry about running the league. Just stay here with Elena"

"It's alright….I'm fine" Elena said as she tried to sit up, but Andrew stopped her

"No Elena, you're not" Nyssa said in a stern but caring tone "Please just focus on recovering while I'm gone"

"I'll make sure she does just that" Andrew said "Thanks again Nyssa"

"No problem. I'll see you in a few days"

Nyssa turned away and started walking towards the main entrance and exit of the wing. As soon as she was out of the area, she headed down a couple floors and outside to the main area of the fjord. She crossed a couple wooden bridges before arriving at the entrance of the main hall. Nyssa made her way up to her bedroom and when she got up there, she gathered the few things she would need on the mission. Before leaving her room, Nyssa grabbed a vial of eternal water and stuffed it in her boot. With everything she needed in hand, Nyssa walked out of the main hall and up towards the air strip.

When Nyssa got up to the air strip, she saw a group of nine assassins, all ready to leave. She knew that these assassins belonged to one of Elena's main teams so she got ready to give some explanations

"Alright, are you nine heading for Cambodia?" Nyssa asked

"Yes, we're waiting Elena. She's supposed to be leading this mission" One man started "Have you seen her?"

"Yes, but I'm here to inform you that she will not be leading this mission, as she has fallen ill. I'll be taking her place but all will return to normal within the next week or so" Nyssa replied

"Sounds good to me, but I hope she's okay" One assassins said

I will send her your best wishes. Until then, let's fly out so we aren't late in meeting the specific deadline"

-(=+=)-

It was a Friday evening in Star City when the plane Nyssa and the nine assassins landed back in Finiks Jurf. It had been a rather boring trip; seventy five percent of the time they were away, they were all confined on a plane. Once they got into Cambodia, Nyssa had enough information to contribute so they could complete the task in under eleven hours. It wasn't something too big, only gathering intel on a rising trade in Russia and a small check on one of the city's league bases. Since everything went as planned, Nyssa was able to finish the task quickly and efficiently

"Excellent work out there" Nyssa complimented when they were all standing outside and in front of the place

"Thank you for having out backs when it got strange back there" A man spoke up

"It's a leader's job to protect the followers. You have nothing to thank me for" Nyssa said "You're all free for the rest of the day so please use it wisely"

"Thank you my liege" A man said as he followed his teammates off the run way

The pilot of the plane and some other assassins started tending to the plane as soon as Nyssa started walking towards the stairs as well. Instead of going to train or get some sleep, Nyssa made her way to the med wing where she was hoping to find Elena still.

When she got into the medical wing, a medic directed her over to one of the more private rooms in the wing. Nyssa followed the directions and found room with the last name 'Tsaoussis' written on the outside. Nyssa pushed open the door after giving a small knock and to her surprise, she saw Elena sitting upright and smiling happily at Andrew

"Glad to see you're alright Elena" Nyssa smiled as she closed the door behind her

"I am also glad that I am not….dead" Elena said with a small laugh at the end "How did the extraction go?"

"Like normal. A couple cuts and small bruises but nothing some eternal water couldn't fix" Nyssa started before turning towards Andrew "Were they able to find the type of virus"

"Well, funny story about that" Andrew said as he smiled intently at his wife "Do you wish to tell her?"

"I don't know" Elena smirked

"Tell me what?!" Nyssa asked impatiently but with a laugh

"Nyssa…." Elena started

"Yes Elena…?"

"I'm pregnant"

"Y-You're….what?!" Nyssa gasped

"I'm pregnant" Elena repeated

"Oh my gosh! Elena! That's amazing!" Nyssa said with an excited smile "How far along?"

"Nine weeks"

"How did you not know about this sooner?"

"I guess with everything going on and the signs being mistaken as symptoms of viruses since I was traveling" Elena replied "But that's not even the best part"

"Well what could be better than you being pregnant?!"

"I'm not having one child…but two!"

"You're nine weeks pregnant with twins!?" Nyssa said excitedly "Elena, you have no idea how happy I am for you!"

"Thanks Nys"

"She's going to have to call up Dakota and share the news that you're going to be the mother of the first babies born into the league" Andrew said

"Dakota would get pretty excited for this, but it's up to you if you want him to know" Nyssa said

"He's a nice and trustworthy man. I can tell him eventually" Elena said

"Do you mind if I tell Oliver. He will be curious to know how you're doing" Nyssa stated

"I do not mind at all" Elena smiled "Speaking of Oliver, you should probably get back home so you can be with your family. I bet they'd like to see you again"

"I suppose you're right" Nyssa started, then turned towards Andrew "When is she supposed to leave?"

"Tomorrow morning but following a strict set of instructions" Andrew answered

"Okay then. Because of this whole thing, I want you to stay here in Finiks Jurf, which means no more missions, extractions, or league traveling during the pregnancy" Nyssa said

"Damn it Nyssa, how am I supposed to entertain myself then?" Elena asked with a small laugh

"Don't worry, I'm sure Andrew can help you find something" Nyssa said "Anyway, I'll let you two have some time together. Call me if you need anything, but I'll be back tomorrow"

"Right, see you then Nys!" Elena called as Nyssa walked out of the room

As she walked out of the med bay and towards the entrance hall, Nyssa had a happiness to her whole body and she couldn't help but think about the idea of two kids bouncing around in the fjords. This was definitely going to have to go down in the league's history as an essential part in the development. A first child born into a family is a big deal, but a child first born into the league was going to be treated like the coronation of a queen and Nyssa could hardly wait!

 **Author's Note: Okay, just a little side note. Elena's name is pronounced (Eee-LEN-ah) not (Eee-LEAN-ah). There are several different ways to pronounce it but that is the name I mean.**


	27. Shattered Peace

"Thanks again for all the help you've been giving us. Never could have gotten this far without you two" Oliver said to Rene and Zoe, who were both standing by the door

"Well thanks for having us! The pizza was fantastic though. You're not too bad around a pizza crust might I add" Rene said with a slight smirk

"Thanks, but it's just practice" Oliver said

"We can come by tomorrow to help finish the last bits of packing as well as the actually moving" Rene said

"Once again, you have no idea how grateful I am that you two are here helping" Oliver said "I guess we'll see you tomorrow"

"Right, see you then" Rene said as he opened the door

"See you tomorrow Zoe!" William said with a wave

"Bye Will!" She called back

Oliver just smiled down at his son after closing the door and could tell that he had the slightest bit of blush on his cheeks

"That was fun, wasn't it?" Oliver asked, looking at the boxes scattered around the penthouse, which the Queen's and Ramirez's had spent the last six hours packing

"Yeah, lots of work too" William said "I'm going to go see if I packed up my book up already"

"I assume you're heading to bed?"

"I want to stay up but I know that I won't be able to" William replied "So goodnight"

"Night buddy" Oliver replied

William walked off to his room while weaving in and out of several, taped up boxes, each labeled with a large word written with a large sharpie. Oliver was going to go to bed as well so he started walking around the boxes. He was about to pass the living room but stopped when a small fire seemed to start in the middle of the air. Oliver smiled as he watched the fire grow bigger until it was around the size of a person. After a second, the fire seemed to burst in all directions, but quickly disappeared after wards, leaving Nyssa standing in the middle of the room.

"You're back!" Oliver said excitedly as he walked over to his wife and pulled her into his arms

"So good to be back too!" Nyssa said, but her voice slightly muffle by Oliver's hoodie

"How did everything go in Cambodia?"

"As expected. The plane ride was the most annoying thing of them all and I couldn't use Nuriel to get there since we wouldn't have had an exact location until we landed…so it was unnecessarily long"

"How's Elena? Is she doing alright?"

"Oh my gosh, you're never going to believe this!" Nyssa said as she pulled out of Oliver's embrace, showing him just how excited she was

"Let me guess. She's…." Oliver trailed off, but the nod Nyssa gave in reply just told him everything "That's fantastic! How far along?"

"Nine weeks….with twins!" Nyssa said excitedly

"Dang, she's got twice the work" Oliver said with a small laugh

"Which is why I'm going to have twice the work for the next year" Nyssa said with a slight sigh, but then changed the topic "Where's William?"

"I'm right here!" William said as he skidded into the living room and ran over to his mom

"Hey buddy! How have you been?" Nyssa asked as she pulled William into a hug

"Really good! I got an A on my bio test and then the Ramirez's came over to help with the packing!" William replied

"As I can see. You guys got really far" Nyssa said while looking at all the boxes "Sorry I wasn't here to help with all of this"

"Don't worry about it. It's fine" Oliver said

"Thank you beloved. I'm going to go get changed out of this" Nyssa said while gesturing to the armor she was still wearing

"And I'm going to go to bed" William said before turning to walk out of the room "Night!"

"Night Buddy!" Oliver and Nyssa both said in sync

-(=+=)-

It was around eleven o'clock at night and Oliver had already made sure that William was asleep before doing his own thing. Now he was just relaxing on the couch with the fire place turned on. Nyssa had joined him but instead of just sitting next to him while he read his book, she had her head resting on his lap. She was facing the fire place, but looked like she was trying to go to sleep. Oliver had his book lightly resting on her head and she didn't seem to mind in the slightest, so they had made themselves comfortable like that. For some reason, Oliver had his right hand draped over Nyssa's waist and had been tracing something like small circles on her stomach while she tried to sleep and once again, she didn't mind.

"So this has been on my mind all day…" Nyssa started in a soft tone

"What's been on your mind?" Oliver asked

"The organization in the league is quite off, especially if I'm needing to travel half way across the world due to lack of people to lead missions"

"So what do you want to do?"

"I want to get another group of around thirty to fifty assassins and get them trained so they can lead extractions, missions, and other things like that. Right now, we only have around fifteen and they're all spread across the world"

"I think that's a good idea" Oliver started "When were you planning on starting this?"

"Next time I'm in Finiks Jurf, I'm going to get Namir and a couple of the head trainers to start this up. I think it will be easier on everyone"

"Sounds like a plan to me, but what are you going to be doing?"

"Things I should be doing as the leader. With the random bursts of missions I haven't been able to address some of the problems I should have time to"

"And what of Elena?"

"I'm putting her on easy things to do like research, organization of missions, and other things like that. I don't want her hurting herself while she's going through all of this"

"Well overall, it sounds like a good move if this is going to get the league on another path in the right direction"

With that said, the two of them were silent for a few minutes. Oliver had gone back to reading his book while Nyssa tried to fall asleep.

"Beloved?" Nyssa said, breaking the silence

"Yeah Nys?"

"Why do you caress my stomach as if I am with a child?"

"Not really sure…." Oliver said after a few seconds of silence

"Something's on your mind as well?"

"Yeah"

"Well go ahead"

"Do you want to have a child?"

"Yes, at one point, it was important to me"

"But now?"

"I just don't think I'd be able to"

"How so?"

"Everything with the league. I can't possibly run it while pregnant and I refuse to put something that big on Elena and Andrew" Nyssa started "Besides, if I were to have a child without interfering with the league, the age gap in between William and the baby could cause problems"

"I actually think William would like being an older brother"

"Yes, but a fourteen year old boy and an infant doesn't seem like a good mix" Nyssa started "I know he would probably understand the whole situation, but I don't want him feeling unimportant"

"Yeah, that would be a problem…" Oliver trailed off

"What about you?" Nyssa asked "Do you want another child?"

"I have, but I can understand why it would be more stressful on you"

"Do you still wish for one?"

"After hearing your side of the story, I don't think it would be a good idea for us. With everything we've got going in our lives, it would be impossible to give them and the child equal attention"

"So is it settled then?" Nyssa asked "We're not going to try and have another child"

"Not try?" Oliver asked with an eyebrow raised as Nyssa shifted so she was looking up at him

"You never know what's going to happen in the future"

"Truer words have never been spoken" Oliver said with a small laugh "Then yeah, we will not try to have another child"

"So what happened while I was gone?"

"Well, we started packing so we can move into the house" Oliver said while gesturing towards the boxes "As you can see"

"Yes, very clearly beloved" Nyssa smiled back at him

"Rene and Zoe ended up coming by to help us with the packing and offered their help tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday if we still need it. Rene's good with the extra exercise and Zoe likes hanging out with William"

"That's nice of them to help out" Nyssa said while nestling herself closer to Oliver's chest

"Tired?"

"Yeah?"

"You want to go to bed?"

"I'm quite fine right here"

"Okay then, one sec"

Oliver shifted his legs up and entwined them with Nyssa's as he laid over to his left. When he had his head resting on the arm of the couch, he put his left arm around Nyssa's shoulders as she moved herself up to his chest.

"Being right here just reminds me how much I hate planes" Nyssa said while resting her head on Oliver's chest "I'm glad to be home"

"And I hate yachts" Oliver said while nestling his head on top of his wife's "But I'm glad you're home too. It was getting a bit boring without you here"

"Glad to be of interest…night beloved"

"Night Nys"

-(=+=)-

"Oliver I swear if you try to throw that plate like a disk" Nyssa said while she and Oliver packed up the things in the kitchen

"Don't worry, I know you'll catch it" Oliver said as he turned around with a plate at the ready "Ready?"

"I can't believe you want to do this" Nyssa sighed as she took her own stance on the other side of the island

Oliver retracted his arm a bit and then shot it forward. The plate he had been holding shot across the room and Nyssa was barely able to catch it, as it was aimed too far to her left.

"I told you that was a bad idea" Nyssa said as she put the plate in the box

"Want to try it with mugs?"

"Oliver!" Nyssa said with a small laugh

"Don't worry, you can throw"

"I'm not throwing a cup at you"

"C'mon, it will be fun"

"Fine, if you really want me to throw a cup at you" Nyssa said as she picked up one of the mugs sitting on the counter

Nyssa gave a light underhand toss and Oliver was able to catch it easily, so he threw it back towards her. She looked up at him with an eyebrow raised and saw that he was gesturing for her to throw it again, like a game of pass. Nyssa tossed it again, then Oliver tossed it back. They continued this for around two minutes before Nyssa caught the cup and put it on the counter upside down

"I do believe we should finish packing so we can get everything moved to the house before William gets out of school" Nyssa said after packing the cup

"Right, right" Oliver smiled back "Aren't we just the best role models? You can't get any better than two adults throwing a cup across the kitchen as a game"

"Yes, the best parents in the entire city" Nyssa laughed "Would you like to share with the press? I'm sure they would appreciate it"

"Oh yeah, I'm sure that would go down flawlessly" Nyssa started "So what all is left to finish packing up?"

"We've pretty much got everything" Oliver said while looking around the room "I think the only thing left is the couch"

"We don't need to take the couch with. Remember Lenora and Jacob left all the furniture since it never belonged to them"

"Right, so I guess after we finish the kitchen, we're all done"

"How much time do we have?"

"About two hours until William gets home"

"We better getting going then. There's still…a lot of plates left to pack" Nyssa sighed while looking around the kitchen, which was mixed between organized and unorganized

"Want to have a race?" Oliver smirked as he unfolded another box

"Whoever packs the most?" Nyssa smirked back

Oliver nodded back, but then quickly started pulling plates out of the cupboard. Nyssa did the same and they both continued their friendly competition for the next hour. Before either of them knew it, the whole kitchen was packed. Oliver looked over towards Nyssa, who's hair was all out of place but she looked happy.

"THAT was much better than throwing a cup around" Nyssa said with a small laugh while pushing a lock of hair behind her ear

"I'll say, but I don't have hair I can lusciously push back behind my ear" Oliver said while acting out the motion, but with much more sass and flare

"Whatever you do, don't go back to the island haircut. It's a living nightmare"

"You saw the island haircut?"

"Doppelganger and photos from Russia" Nyssa reminded

"When did you get ahold of pictures from Russia?" Oliver asked

"Oh, I have my ways" Nyssa mocked while mischievously strutting over to Oliver

"You found them in the bunker, didn't you" Oliver laughed

"Never said I had to go far to look for them"

"Dig can't hide things very well"

"I agree. His prime spot for hiding his glock is not very well hidden"

"He's actually been looking for it recently. You didn't…." Oliver smirked, but saw Nyssa giving him the same smirk "You didn't"

"I did"

"You hid his glock"

"I did hide his glock. I could see it from across the room"

"Well are you going to tell him where it is?"

"I was planning on just having him find it on his own, but I'll tell you where it is and you can participate in getting the occasional laugh when he walks right by it!"

"Okay, where is it?"

"You know those support beams that hang right above Katara's computer dock?"

"Yeah"

"And you know how Dig always stands against that pillar to the left of her dock?"

"Where are you going with this?"

"If you're leaning up against Dig's pillar, as I've been calling it, and you look ahead and up a bit, you'll see the glock"

"You hid his gun on the support beams!?" Oliver laughed

"Yes, and I even made sure that part of the stock was showing so he could find it!" Nyssa replied, also laughing "It's been up there for almost three weeks! How has he not spotted it yet?!"

"I don't know, but you just destroyed any chance I have of keeping a straight face around him when he's leaning up against the Dig pillar"

"So the pillar has a name now? The Dig pillar…the name shall remain forever"

"Why don't you just carve that into the pillar"

"That's not a bad idea"

"Okay, I was joking. I like the pillars looking new"

"I know, but I would be willing to carve that phrase into the pillar if you change your mind" Nyssa started "So! Should we get all these boxes to the car or wait?"

"Might as well start getting them to the car" Oliver said as he moved to pick up one of the boxes "Can't you just use Nuriel to get these to the house?"

"Nope! Can't transport objects unless they're lifted off the ground and in contact with someone. Believe me, I wish we could"

"If you really don't want to move all these boxes, just call Barry and offer to pay him for his time" Nyssa suggested casually

"You know, that's not a really bad idea" Oliver said as he pulled out his phone

"You know I was joking, right?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to see if you'd let me go through with it" Oliver said while putting his phone back into his pocket

"Well you're sadly mistaken beloved"

-(=+=)-

William ran up the stairs of the apartment complex he was only going to be living in for a couple more hours. He almost jogged down the hallway and towards the front door. William fumbled with his pockets until he pulled out a house key. He almost jammed it into the door before pushing it open. The first thing he saw when he opened the door was his dad moving boxes into a pile near the edge of the living room

"Hey Dad!" William said cheerfully as he set his bag down at the front door

"Hey buddy, how was school?"

"Pretty good. It's Friday so that's even better" William replied "And we're moving into an actual house so that's something to look forward to. By the way, do I get to pick my own room?"

"Yeah, you get to pick your room, but Mom and I get the master bedroom"

"Okay, I got that" William said "Where is Mom?"

"She ran to the house to make sure everything's ready for moving in. Rene and Zoe should be here-" Oliver started, but then there was a knock on the door

"Hey Zoe!" William said as he opened the door

"Hi Will!" Zoe said as she stepped inside, followed by Rene "Wow, this place is super empty"

"Yeah, my room echoes now. It's strange but exciting at the same time! Wanna see?" William asked

"Defintely!"

William and Zoe both ran off towards William's room to play with the echo, leaving Rene and Oliver together in the entry way

"You got a lot of work done" Rene said while looking at the boxes

"Yeah, Nyssa and I finished the last of the packing this morning so we could start moving things into the house" Oliver replied

"Speaking of which, where is Nyssa?"

"She's at the house making sure everything's ready so we can start moving things in"

"Okay, cool. Should we start moving these boxes to the truck then? Zoe and I drove the pickup truck over here for some extra room"

"That would be fantastic!" Oliver said before calling into the hallway "Hey William! Rene and I are going to be moving things outside!"

"Okay Dad! Be there in a sec!" William called back before laughter echoed out of William's bedroom

"The fascination that goes with an empty room" Rene laughed "The good ol' days"

"No kidding"

-(=+=)-

Nyssa had just finished a general sweep of the house and surprisingly, it only took her a half hour. All the furniture was left in place and all the weapons were left downstairs, which was always nice. Things like the kitchenware, some personal momentums, and a couple other things that were in the house before were gone, which was fine since they had their own. Since Oliver said that he would be at the house in any minute, Nyssa wandered into the living room. There was a beautiful fireplace, made out of polished stone, that faced a large wall of windows that gradually got higher until it was almost two and a half stories tall. There was a small door that led onto the porch, which curved around the wall of windows from the outside and went to the sides of the house.

When Nyssa stepped outside, she was met by a cool and crisp late autumn breeze, but it didn't bother her much since she was wearing a light hoodie and jeans. The house was built on a steep hill, so the porch was elevated about seventeen feet off the ground. From the porch, Nyssa had a beautiful view of the city a couple miles ahead and good view of the field that was part of the property. One of the many benefits of the house formerly belonging to the league is that they had money. This house wasn't cramped on a forth of an acre, but rather had a total of three acres of land. The house, although quite large, only took up what seemed to be a fraction of the property.

Nyssa was still admiring the view of the city when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out and was surprised to see who was calling, so she picked it up

"I expected you to be resting. Does Andrew know you're calling?" Nyssa asked when she picked up

 _"_ _Maybe?"_ Elena replied _"Anyway, that's not important! I really need your help!"_

"What's wrong?"

 _"_ _I can't decide"_

"Between?"

 _"_ _Baby names! So if one of the twins ends up being a girl, do you think I should name her Phoebe?"_

"Wait, I'm confused. You're looking for different baby names when you don't even know the genders of the twins?"

 _"_ _Yeah! There's so much to do in so little time!"_

"Okay…"

 _"_ _So which do you like best for a girl; Phoebe, Eva, Calliope, Veronica, Katrina, or Loretta?"_

"Umm…Calliope and Loretta are growing on me"

 _"_ _Okay, now boy names"_

"Elena, don't you think you should be trying to get some rest rather than worrying about this?"

 _"_ _I will eventually, but I've had this on my mind ever since I was able get out of the med wing!"_ Elena replied

"I don't think this is a good idea"

 _"_ _What is?"_

"Stressing out about this"

 _"_ _So what, you're telling me to just drop it and go back to bed"_

"Yeah…"

 _"_ _Fine, but answer this last question"_ Elena started _"Boy names; Aaron, Calvin, Alexander, Malachi, Jackson, or Kai?"_

"Aaron or Malachi, now go back to bed Elena"

 _"_ _Gee thanks Nys"_ Elena laughed _"See you sometime later! I have no idea when you're coming back"_

"Probably in two days"

 _"_ _Okay then, bye!"_

Nyssa hung up the phone and put it back in her pocket. She just stayed out on the elevated porch for a few more minutes before the sound of a car came from the main road, which was off to the left. Nyssa heard the car come to a stop and assumed it was Oliver, William, Rene, and Zoe so she went back inside.

"Woah! This place is HUGE!" William said as he and Zoe came into the house, followed by Oliver and Rene

"No kidding" Rene said with a whistle "This place is like a mansion"

"Technically, it would be considered a mansion in realtors' eyes" Oliver said as he walked over to Nyssa, who had just come inside from the porch "How's the view?"

"Stunning! I can't tell you how much I love these windows" Nyssa replied "So should we all start unpacking?"

"Yeah, let's do that, but first" Oliver said before turning towards William "Do you want to pick your room?"

"Zoe, can you help me pick?" William asked

"I wouldn't miss it!" Zoe said

The two teenagers kicked off their shoes, then ran up the stairs to the second story. Once they were up there, they stopped in each room to figure out which one would be the best. William was quickly able to identity the master bedroom, so he looked at the other two rooms on the floor. One was a reasonable size, but the other one caught William's attention. This room was quite large, had a queen size bed, a dresser, and a desk in it. One major selling point were the large windows, but the bathroom was also quite nice and definitely an upgrade from the penthouse.

"I think this one would do" William said while he and Zoe explored the room

"I think so too, but look at this bathroom! You've got an awesome shower!" Zoe said while admiring the elegant and modern bathroom "If you don't pick this one, then you would definitely regret it, especially if you don't get this view"

"Okay then, I'm going to go tell Dad" William replied before stepping out of the room "Hey Dad! I picked my room! Furthest to the left!"

"Great, we'll start unloading the truck!" Oliver called back

William and Zoe came back downstairs and helped their parents unload the boxes that they had packed up in Rene's pickup truck. Within the next twenty minutes, the first round of boxes were unloaded and set where they needed to be

"There are still some boxes back at the penthouse so Rene and I are going to go get those, pay off the rest of this month's rent, and end the lease!" Oliver said "Nys, can you stay here with William and Zoe?"

"Of course. I can start unpacking things upstairs so we have somewhere to sleep tonight" Nyssa replied before heading towards the stairs "And don't hurt yourselves in some stupid competition while packing up the last boxes"

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid" Rene laughed

"Thank you Rene!" Nyssa said before going upstairs

"You are in for an extra-long training session tomorrow" Oliver promised as they walked out of the front door

"I pretty much planned on it" Rene sighed

-(=+=)-

"Nys! William! Zoe! We're back and we have dinner!" Oliver called into the home as he and Rene walked in with Chinese takeout

"No way, did you get pizza?" William asked as he almost flew down the stairs

"Not pizza, takeout" Oliver replied

"Even better!"

"William, where's your mother?" Oliver asked the boy, who was currently sifting through the bag of food, trying to find his

"Upstairs on the phone I think. Something having to do with Elena, the league, or both" William replied

"Rene, can you handle this for a second?"

"Sure thing hos"

Oliver walked away from the group and went up the stairs. He turned to the room ahead of him and to the right, which was the master bedroom. The door was open and Oliver could see Nyssa's shadow moving back in forth. He peeked his head into the door and saw her with her phone up to her ear while pacing around the room. Oliver could hear a voice on the other end and noticed that Nyssa looked slightly annoyed, but you wouldn't be able to tell if you didn't know what to look for.

"No, Elena. I'm not sending you to Kiev. Yeah-…you're not listening to me or Andrew…You can't possibly think that it would be a good idea while you're pregnant…go ahead and try, but I already told the pilots not to fly you anywhere unless told otherwise by me and or Andrew….if you're bored, then I can happily find something for you to do with mission coordination, but you're not going out in the field….No, I'm not going to change my mind" Nyssa said impatiently while Elena rambled on the other end

Oliver walked up behind Nyssa and put his hands on her shoulders, stopping her from pacing. She glanced up at him and gave a small smile before stopping Elena again

"Lena! I'm not going to change my stance on this. You're pregnant and I understand you want to get out and fight but going out on the field is a terrible idea! Go spar with Zayn or Ishaq if you're that desperate….if you'll excuse me, I have a house to move into and my husband is waiting for me"

"Everything alright?" Oliver asked after Nyssa hung up

"Elena wants to get out on a mission in Kiev. Andrew and I stopped the pilots from letting her go so when I don't think she's going anywhere, but it's Elena" Nyssa replied "Basically, she's hormonal and impatient"

"Yeesh, I'd hate to be Andrew right now"

"He's handling it just fine from what I've heard, but I can't imagine that he's been around her all day for that to be the case" Nyssa started "Anyway, I heard something about takeout over Elena's rambling"

"Yeah, Rene and I picked up takeout for everyone after ending the lease"

"So this is our home officially?" Nyssa smiled

"Technically, yeah"

"Great! But before we start unpacking again, you have to see this" Nyssa said as she took Oliver's arm and pulled him out of the room

Oliver followed Nyssa down the stairs and into the living room, which transitioned into the kitchen. William and Zoe where sitting at the counter while Rene stood across from them.

"William, Zoe, you want to see something cool?" Nyssa asked

"Sure! What is it?" Zoe asked

Nyssa glanced down at her phone which read 6:28 p.m. She looked back out at the beautiful, lodge like wall of windows and saw exactly what she was looking for

"Every night at six thirty, this side of the city's lights turn on to adjust to the setting sun. It's like watching a Christmas tree get lit up but you can see it every night" Nyssa explained

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" William said as he almost shoved his dad out of the way to get to the elevated porch with Zoe

"Don't fall over the railing!" Rene called, getting a raised eyebrow from Oliver "They're teenagers. You never know what will happen"

The three adults all walked out onto the porch and looked straight ahead towards the city. William pulled out his phone and watched as the second hand on a clock slowly moved from a twenty three to a fifty five, then he and Zoe started to count down

"Five! Four! Three! Two! One!" The two teenagers said in sync while leaning over the railing

As soon as they hit one, the side of the city that was visible from the porch lit up with the night lights. Nyssa was right, it did look like a Christmas tree in a way, or like an entire city lighting up with stars.

"Wow, that's beautiful!" Rene said while looking at the city in awe "It's weird how the city actually looks beautiful from here"

"One of the many perks of the location" Oliver said as he put his arm around Nyssa's shoulders, pulling her closer

"And that field! I'm guessing that there will be archery practice there?" Rene asked

"We own this field, so yeah. I'm thinking about building some type of target system once we're all moved in and I have some down time from the office" Oliver replied "Speaking of which, doesn't this place have a home office?"

"Yeah, it does. I didn't get to show that to you when you came here last" Nyssa said "I'm guessing you want to see it?"

"Yes I would"

Nyssa led the way back inside to house and she walked towards the front door. If you walked in from the front door, you would see the staircase's side and if you turned to the left, you would walk into the living room and later, the kitchen and dining room. If you took a right instead, you would see something like a small, open concept area that was made up of floor to ceiling bow windows. It wasn't made into a seating area, but rather held the perfect amount of space for a baby grand piano. Lenora and Jacob didn't even try to take the piano since both of them knew that Nyssa liked to play occasionally, and William was starting to grow an interest. Right across from the small piano area was a wall of sliding glass doors that led into a hardwood home office.

"And here's your home office!" Nyssa said as they both stepped inside "Lenora and Jacob were still cleaning up some things in here when I gave you a tour"

Oliver looked around the office with a smile on his face. There were two large windows off to the right of the office and some built in bookshelves on the back wall. There was plenty of room for his desk, a couple chairs, and some other personal touches

"This is really nice, and having windows in here is definitely better than the penthouse" Oliver commented

"Great! I knew you'd like it" Nyssa replied "So should we get the rest of the things out of the truck?"

"So I can have your takeout?" Oliver smirked

"Never mind. Food first" Nyssa corrected

-(=+=)-

"Thanks again for all the help you guys have been giving" Oliver said to Rene and Zoe, who were getting their shoes on by the front door

"No problem man, and thanks for the takeout" Rene said "We can stop by tomorrow, but Katara, Dig and I are taking Zoe to the shooting range to get her acquainted with a 22 rifle and maybe a glock"

"I can handle the glock Dad" Zoe said "Can't I just focus on that tomorrow?"

"In time you will, but we start small and work our way up the food chain of fire arms" Rene said

"But Dig is bringing the Springfield Saint and Katara's bringing the SR-762! Can't you at least bring the glock 17?"

"I am bringing that glock, but you're shooting the rifle first. I don't want you to hurt yourself"

"Fine…"

"Hopefully you guys do really well tomorrow" William said "And when you get back and we get our portion of the unpacking done, we might be able to go practice in the basement or do archery outside"

"That would be awesome! Maybe if we ask Thea nicely, she can get me going on the basics for archery so I can shoot with you!" Zoe said

"I don't know, Thea's pretty busy at the office so you'd have to really ask nicely, or bribe her, into giving up her lunch break to help you two" Oliver said

"I can't bribe" Zoe confessed

"Neither can I so I guess we'll just have to wing it" William laughed

"Anyway, we should get going. It's almost midnight after all and we want to get to the range early" Rene said "Night guys"

"Night Rene" Oliver said before he and Zoe walked out the front door

"That was fun! We should move more often!" William laughed as he walked back upstairs

"I take it you're heading to bed?" Oliver asked

"After a shower, yeah. So goodnight, I guess!" William said

"Night buddy" Oliver said "So! Since the only places we have completely unpacked are the living room, our room, and our bathroom, where do you want to spend the evening?"

"Living room by the fireplace" Nyssa quickly replied "I love that fire place"

"Okay then" Oliver smiled back while following Nyssa into the large, lodge like but casual, living room.

Nyssa walked over to the fire place and created a small flame with the tip of her finger. Although the wood seemed exposed, there was a strong yet almost invisible protection of glass. When the fire was growing stronger, Nyssa turned around and sat on one of the couches next to Oliver. He nestled his head on top of hers as they snuggled up next to each other

"You know, I've got that feeling" Oliver said casually while watching the flames

"Which one beloved?" Nyssa asked, not moving her head

"Like I'm doing something right for once. I've got you and William in a really nice home, the city is in a stable place, and no one's-" Oliver started, but was cut off by Nyssa's phone vibrating on the coffee table

"Damn it Elena" Nyssa groaned as she picked up her phone lazily, but snapped her head up when she saw who was calling

"What's wrong?" Oliver asked, seeing the sudden change in attitude

"It's Barry" Nyssa said before pressing the accept button and holding it up to her ear "Barry, what do you need?"

 _"_ _Sorry to disappoint, but this isn't Barry"_ Someone on the other end said

"Wait, Wells?" Nyssa asked, obviously surprised "Shouldn't you be on your earth?"

 _"_ _Yes, but something has happened and I need to warn you immediately"_ Wells said _"Is Oliver there?"_

"Um, yeah" Nyssa said before taking the phone away from her ear and turning the call on speaker so Oliver could hear as well

"Oliver, can you hear me?" Wells asked

"Yeah, loud and clear" Oliver said

"Can William?"

"No, he's in the shower"

"Good" Wells started "The sirens, they broke into Earth-2 S.T.A.R labs and came to this earth. Barry and his team tried fighting them off, but ended up severely outmatched"

"What do you mean outmatched? Are they alright?"

"They took a good beating, but they're all recovering right now" Wells said "I was just able to confirm that they aren't here in Central City"

"Do you know where they are? How to stop them?" Nyssa asked

"I don't know where they are, where they're going, or what their motives are, but I do know one thing; They're stronger than before and going after something….or someone"


	28. Kidnapped

Melody jumped up into the air with her flute and with a quick play of a G cord, she set a sound wave towards Harmony and Arabesque. Both were knocked back, but did the same after recovering. The three sisters all continued to go up against each other until they dropped from exhaustion almost thirty minutes later.

"We've all improved greatly" Arabesque breathed "This will be a breeze"

"Although your prediction is correct, it is still quite a damper on the plan for us to come back here" Melody said

"Yes, but Nyssa is the only one who can get us into city hall" Arabesque started "Believe me, I don't want to be back here but this is the only way unless you want to get involved with S.T.A.R labs and Jesse Quick"

"They're a nightmare" Harmony groaned "Getting in and out of there is such a pain. Maybe we could just stay here"

"Nah, this earth lacks in logical thinking in some of the more eastern areas. I don't think we should try to get involved in it" Melody said

"I agree" Arabesque started "Besides, Central City and the surrounding area on our earth is quite beautiful, is it not? And we've already gotten started on the plans there, despite the recent upset so we need to continue on that path and maybe once we get our Central City, we come back here and get Star"

"Sounds good to me" Melody said "So in regards to getting our Wildcard back, what's the plan?"

"Oh god ol' Nyssa" Harmony said with a small laugh "She was fun"

"You speak of her as if she's gone, but I assure you, she will join us again and this time, that son of hers won't be a problem" Arabesque replied

"I sense a bit of foul play in the plan" Harmony said

"It's not foul play, it's just taking advantage of the card no one expects us to play" Melody said

"And that card happens to be the youngest Queen…"

-(=+=)-

"So what do you want to do?" Oliver asked from the edge of the bed while watching his wife pace back and forth

"I don't know…I could call the league in on this and have those sirens off the streets within the next three days, but we don't have a place to hold them that would accommodate for their voices" Nyssa replied, still looking at the ground as she continued to walk back and forth

"Well we need to tell the team about this right away so they can keep an eye out for three girls with colorful red, purple, and blue highlights. They can't be that hard to spot in a crowd"

"And I can try to get some information from the league's contacts. Hopefully someone will talk with the right amount of persuasion"

"Do you really think league connections would know anything this early on?"

"You'd be surprised just how extensive our resources have become in the last few months"

"I see" Oliver started "So tomorrow, we'll go to the team and have Katara start working up a location. If we need to, we can ask Lenora and Jacob to do a sweep"

"Those two and tracking. It sounds like a plan" Nyssa said with a small smile "Are you going into the office tomorrow?"

"Yeah, it's the start of another week so that means the office is going to be swamped by all the people who decided to use some vacation days"

"Sounds like a nightmare"

"You're going to Finiks Jurf?"

"Yeah, Elena's getting impatient and I need to get that new training thing set up so I can do things that I should have done a long time ago"

"Like?"

"Finally get a formal alliance with Dakota and the Celestial Order. We could use some eyes and ears in that area of the world"

"Oh so you're going to have to persuade your brother to agree to a team up"

"It's not really a team up but I can get him to accept"

"You figured out his 'weakness'?"

"If you count fudge brownies as a weakness, then yes, I found my brother's weakness" Nyssa said with a small laugh before sitting on the edge of the bed next to Oliver

"Fudge brownies, eh?" Oliver laughed "So you're going to Finiks Jurf, I'm going to city hall, and William's going back to school. Normal day but our first in this house"

"And I like this house a lot. So much better than the penthouse and that backyard!"

"We should use it to build a pool and an archery range"

"You're already making plans for the backyard? We're not even completely unpacked yet"

"True, but it's never too early" Oliver started "Anyway, I think we should call it a night. We both have to wake up in the morning and I do not intend on falling asleep in the office"

"Not encouraging this, but what do you think would happen if you fell asleep in the office?" Nyssa asked as they both got underneath the covers

"Rene would find an air horn and Quentin would just yell at me" Oliver started "That second one I know for sure"

"It would be quite interesting to see"

"You know what else would be interesting to see?"

"Do tell"

"Dig finally finding his glock"

"I'm not saying anything"

"Can I give silent hints?"

"I suppose, but if he finds it because you blew it, there will be consequences"

"You are hell bent on him finding it on his own aren't you?"

"If he doesn't then I'd start to wonder how he's still alive out on the field"

"So subtle hints, but nothing major"

"Correct"

"Okay then, let the games unfold"

-(=+=)-

William's alarm filled with an annoying ring at six fifteen sharp. He lazily slapped his hand along the bedside table until the obnoxious beeping ceased. When it was finally silent, William pulled his head out from under the blanket and looked at the two large windows in his room. A fair amount of light was pouring into the room and made the whole place seem welcoming.

Since he didn't want to be late for his first day at school after moving into the new home, William got out of bed and walked into his bathroom. He took a quick shower and started putting on his socks when his phone buzzed from his desk. He got up and picked up the small device and read what was on screen

 _'_ _Out sick today with a fever. Dad's making me stay home today. Can you get the assignments for me please?'_ Is what Zoe's message said

'Yeah, I can get the things for you. Hope you feel better' William texted back, then put on his other sock

William then grabbed his backpack and practically skipped down the stairs. He turned and saw both his mom and dad in the kitchen sipping their favored drinks.

"Morning buddy" Oliver said when he noticed William approaching

"Hey Dad, hi Mom" William said, taking a seat next to his father after grabbing his cereal "So after school, should I just walk back to the court house?"

"Yeah. I should just be finishing up with a meeting when school gets out so we could go home after that" Oliver replied "So do you have anything exciting happening at school today?"

"I don't think so. Zoe's out with a fever so it's going to be kind of boring without her there"

"Don't you still have Tom, Jasper, and Kaida?" Nyssa asked from where she was leaning up against the counter

"Yeah, but we all meet for lunch. They're not in all of my classes unlike Zoe, who's in all of them except for gym"

"Shoot, I need to get going. I've still got to go to the bunker and get Katara working on that search" Nyssa said after putting her cup in the sink

"Okay then, see you tonight" Oliver said after giving her a quick kiss "And if Elena's being a pain, just have her give me a call"

"I don't know what you'd have in mind, but I will keep that in mind" Nyssa replied "See you tonight William"

"Bye Mom!"

Nyssa grabbed her bag with her garb and weapons, then walked out the front door. Since the bunker was relatively close, she didn't want to teleport so instead, she just walked. It was nice to get out in the mornings, even if the sun was only just started to show itself. As she walked further and further away from the new house, Nyssa kept looking back and couldn't help but admire it from a distance, especially the large wall of windows that led out to the elevated porch and gave view to the living room. How the league had managed to get such a perfect house was beyond Nyssa's imagining, but she was glad that her family could call it their own.

-(=+=)-

Nyssa walked into the bunker from the secret entrance and when she entered, she saw Katara and Curtis working at a computer dock while Dig was talking with Lenora and Jacob. Lenora caught glimpse of Nyssa and immediately pulled herself from the conversation and went over to her

"Oh my gosh Nyssa it's been so long!" Lenora said while hugging Nyssa

"Three weeks I believe" Nyssa said as she pulled away, then noticed Lenora's hair "You cut your hair"

"Yeah, it was getting in the way and I thought shorter would be better"

Now instead of having long, golden blonde hair that reached a bit past her breasts, Lenora had cut her hair so it was a couple inches past her shoulders. She still didn't have bangs, but there was a slight side sweep on her left.

"Well it looks really good" Nyssa added "So I heard you and Jacob got jobs as waiters. How's that working out for you?"

"It's actually quite a lot of fun. Jacob and I are learning a bunch of proper meal etiquette as well as kitchen secrets but lately, we've been working really late since larger parties come in the late evening, so it's been a huge help having an apartment in the city rather than living in the safe house" Lenora started "By the way, I'm really sorry we weren't able to make it to help out with the move! We got caught up after a cold flew through the restaurant staff, taking out half of the workers"

"It's not a problem at all. Rene and Zoe have been coming by to help out so that's been a huge help in getting everything where it needs to be"

"Good to hear"

"By the way, I haven't really heard anything from Trent. Is he out on business?"

"Yeah, he's traveling with my father around Europe looking for investments, but Jacob!" Lenora called, making him snap out of his conversation "Hey Jacob, want to tell Nyssa what you found out last night?"

"Oh most definitely" Jacob smiled "I got a call from my brother last night. He's going to be returning home on Thursday!"

"That's fantastic! This will actually be the first time you see him in person since you returned to Star City, right?" Nyssa asked

"Yeah, I'm excited but also really nervous. I don't know how the whole thing will go but hopefully it will go well and he'll like Lenora"

"I think I can help with that" Lenora teased "Besides, he's your brother and he'd be proud of you, especially for helping to save the city"

"Thanks Lele"

"Anyway, there was an actual reason I came here this early" Nyssa said before walking up to Katara "I need your help with something"

"Sure thing. What's up?" Katara asked

"You remember the sirens right? The three sisters that caused all the Central City drama?"

"Quite well, yes" Katara started "By the way, how are you and Oliver doing with that?"

"We're trying to put it behind us but because of its recent resurfacing, it's been a challenge" Nyssa started "They're back in Star City and most likely looking for trouble. I need you to do anything you can to try and find them"

"Ah, so you want me to create some sort of search system for irregular sound wave patterns" Katara smirked "I can get right on that"

"Thank you so much" Nyssa started "You have no idea how glad I am that you're the one who replaced Felicity. She would question everything I said and it always took too long to explain"

"Well you don't ask for much so when you do, I figure it's usually important and if I don't understand it right away, then I know I can get answers later" Katara replied

"Again, thank you so much" Nyssa started "I need to get to Finiks Jurf. See you tonight"

"Right then, see you tonight when the tracker system is up"

-(=+=)-

The first day of another school week had finally ended after dragging on for what seemed to be forever. William was excited to get home and just chill out after getting his homework done, so he quickly made his way through the hallways and towards the main exit.

On his way towards the exit, William passed a community bulletin board with a bunch of flyers for school events. Normally, he didn't pay much attention to the board, but a flyer caught his eye. William stopped and looked at the flyer. It was all colorful and had two people, on a dramatically lit stage, in the middle of a sword fight. He read down the poster and saw the words 'Treasured Waves'. Upon further inspection, William discovered that this poster was advertising auditions for an original play put on by a group of students varying in grades. William had put 'being in a play' on his bucket list and from the looks of this poster, it seemed like a play he would enjoy being in. The boy looked down and saw another copy of the poster that had fallen on the ground, so he picked it up, folded it, and put it in his pocket before walking out of the school.

As William walked away from the campus, he saw the hundreds of other students walk out in all different directions, but he was the only one he knew of that walked to the area of town where city hall was. He came to the first intersection, pressed the 'walk' button and waited. About ten seconds later, he was given the signal to walk and he crossed the intersection. He did this a couple more times and was starting to near city hall. He had to admit, it was pretty lonely without Zoe there to walk with, but it was probably for the best that she wasn't there if she was sick.

William was only around three blocks away from city hall when he passed an alleyway in between an old diner and a clothing shop. As he passed by, he heard a strange noise come from the alley and naturally, he stopped out of curiosity. He waited, listened, and then heard a small cling like a knife dropping to the ground. William knew that there were some muggers in the city, but not in this area. He didn't think much of it until he saw a cat shoot out from behind a trash bin and run into the darkness like they were running from something. This caught William's attention and so he started walking down the alley, being sure to keep up his guard

The boy wasn't even three feet into the more darker and heard to see in areas when he thought he heard footsteps behind him. Before he could turn around, he heard a small whoosh, then a prick on the back of his shoulder. William reached for whatever hit him and pulled out a small tranq dark. Lenora had been working with him on an immunity, but it wasn't built up enough to the point where the sedative would have minimal to no effects. As William's vision started to get fuzzy, he leaned up against the side of the alley for support, then saw shadows approaching him from behind. He tried to turn around, but ended up falling unconscious before he could see who was coming near him.

-(=+=)-

"Alright, so we're all clear on the plan?" Oliver asked the city officials, who he was presenting the project plan to. He received a nod from them all. "Excellent. We'll meet back in a week and review the progress"

All of the city officials started to pack their things and leave the room. Oliver grabbed the few things he had brought in the meeting, then walked out into the hallway with Quentin.

"I have to say, that plan you came up with for the housing improvements that can fit in the budget was genius. How did you get that idea?" Quentin asked

"It was quite simple really. I just had to look at the team and apply a few things we were doing to the city, but I think it will all work out" Oliver said as he and Quentin got in an empty elevator

"By the way, how's the move-in going?"

"Really well. We've only got a few more things to unpack and then I want to put in some though to building a pool"

"You have room for a pool?"

"The house is on a three acre plot so I wanted to make a pool for the summer, and a small area for archery" Oliver started "You should come by for dinner sometime and see the place. It's actually quite beautiful"

"I think I'll take you up on that offer" Quentin replied

The door to the elevator dinged and the two men walked out and towards Oliver's office. When he stepped inside, he expected to see William in the seating area working on his homework, but he was surprised to see it was untouched since the last time he was in there

"Quentin, what time is it?" Oliver asked

"Uhh, eight minutes past five" Quentin replied "Why?"

"William should have been back by now…"

"Maybe he ran off with some friends and forgot to call"

Oliver pulled out his phone and scrolled down the list of contacts until he found William's number. He pressed it and waited for around fifteen seconds before he got voicemail.

"He's not answering" Oliver said after bringing the phone down from his ear

"Maybe he's with Nyssa. She may have come home early and found William or something"

Oliver went back to his contacts and found his wife's number. He pressed the call button and waited, but only for eight seconds before someone picked up.

 _"_ _You don't usually call during the day beloved"_ Nyssa started _"Something wrong?"_

"You're in Finiks Jurf, right?"

 _"_ _Yeah, I'm with Andrew and a team. Why?"_

"William's not at the office and he should have come here almost two hours ago"

 _"_ _Did he run off with some friends?"_

"I tried calling him but he's not answering"

 _"_ _His ringer may be turned off. Try calling the parents. They would have to know"_

"Good idea, I'll get on that"

 _"_ _Call me once you find something. I can come back if you need me to"_

"No, it's probably just a miscommunication, but I'll let you know" Oliver started "See you later"

"He's not with Nyssa" Quentin questioned, and Oliver shook his head in reply

"I'm going to call William's friends' parents. They should know something" Oliver answered

Quentin took a step aside as Oliver dialed several numbers belonging to the parents of Tom, Jasper, and even Monica. All of them had the same reply; William wasn't with any of their kids. They all asked if there was something they could do to help, but Oliver just said to call him if they find anything. After hanging up the phone with Max, Tom's dad, Oliver dialed one more number in hopes of finding his son

 _"_ _Oliver, what a surprise. You don't call often. How are you doing?"_ Jinja asked when she picked up the phone

"Not good. William was supposed to be here in city hall over two hours ago and he's still not here. I've called Tom, Jasper, and Monica's parents and none of them have seen him. Is he with you and Kaida?"

 _"_ _No, no he's not"_ Jinja started _"Do you think he got lost or something?"_

"He's knows the city pretty well for a fourteen year old and he's got his phone with him" Oliver started

 _"_ _Are you currently fighting off any city threats that could have done something to him?"_

"N-no, the only people who we've had conflict with don't even know about William" Oliver said

 _"_ _Well obviously something happened to him"_ Jinja started _"You should get the SCPD on this. I've heard their tracking skills have improved greatly since you became mayor. Kaida and I will get to the bunker to help out"_

"I thought you put up your sword"

 _"_ _I did, but I would take it up again in order to see your son safe" Jinja started "Does Nyssa know?"_

"She knows that I'm trying to find him, but not that he's missing"

 _"_ _You should tell her. She can help out tremendously"_ Jinja said _"Now stop wasting time and go find your boy!"_

"Thank you Jinja" Oliver said before hanging up, then turned to Quentin "I need you to-"

"Get the SCPD and file a missing minor case" Quentin finished "I'm not new to this game Queen"

Quentin quickly left the room and as soon as the doors started closing behind him, Oliver heard the people outside his office quickly start bustling around. Oliver could also hear people trying to come into his office, but then Quentin's thundering voice telling them to step off. Since Oliver was alone, he dialed Nyssa's number again and waited

 _"_ _What did you find?"_ She asked when she picked up

"William's not with any of his friends and their parents haven't seen him either. The school closed an hour ago so he wouldn't be there" Oliver started "Someone kidnapped him"

 _"_ _I'll be there in a minute"_

"No, go to the bunker. Jinja and Kaida are getting their swords and joining to find William"

 _"_ _Okay then. Give me any updates once you find them"_

"I wouldn't think of keeping them from you" Oliver said before hanging up

-(=+=)-

A strange echo of a ring seemed to fill William's ears as he started regaining consciousness. The back of his shoulder where he had been shot with the dart still hurt, but despite this, he still opened his eyes and tried to figure out what was going on. William quickly found that he sitting in a chair with hands tied behind him and ankles tied to the legs of the chair, but where he was being held was unknown. It looked like an old warehouse of sorts, but more of a style you would normally find near a harbor.

"The young Queen awakes" A female voice said from the side "We were starting to think you had a sensitivity to the sedative after being out for so long"

"Who are you!? What the hell do you want from me?!" William shouted to the industrial, moonlit room

"Hmm, the boy has a sharp tongue" The same voice said

William looked ahead and saw a female that looked to be around her late twenties approaching. She had long, brown hair cut to end at her breasts. This woman also had distinct blue highlights in her hair and wore a black, asymmetrical skirt dress with a collar. There was a blue, cross body sash that she wore but what really caught William's attention was the diamond pendant she wore

"You never answered my questions" William growled

"You are not in a position to make demands" The woman said while circling William's chair "But do not worry. You will receive the answers you seek soon"

"Harmony" Another voice said from across the room "I do believe you are scaring the boy more the necessary"

The woman who had spoken up looked almost like the first one, but their outfit was centered around red rather than blue. There was another woman behind the one in red with purple distinctions. After looking at all the women, William was able to figure out just who these people were

"Y-You're those s-sirens….the ones who put my mom in that trance…" William said, almost in a whisper

"The boy has a fond memory" Melody said to her sisters before turning towards William "Yes, we're those sirens"

"What do you want from me?! Haven't you already done enough?!" William shouted

"Far from it young one" Arabesque said "But it is none of your concern. Do as told and you will get out of here alive. Attempts to struggle…."

When Arabesque trailed off, Harmony and Melody both drew their knives. Harmony, who was behind William, brought her blade forward and held it against William's neck to pass the message

"Will only end in pain…."

-(=+=)-

Oliver paced back and forth in his office, waiting for any word on William. The SCPD had been sweeping the entire city for William while the team was doing their own sweep of the city. Oliver wasn't able to join them because of the constant questioning from the officers and the media keeping a close eye on him after learning of his son's disappearance.

Oliver had first realized that William was missing at around five fifteen, but now it was past eight o'clock and they still didn't have any leads. He was still pacing around his room when he heard his phone ringing on his desk. He looked over and saw the caller ID which read 'Nyssa' so he quickly picked up

"Do you guys have anything at all?" Oliver asked as soon as he picked up

 _"_ _That's why I'm here"_

"What?"

 _"_ _Can you meet me on the roof?"_

"I'll be there in a minute"

Oliver hung up the phone, stuffed it in his pocket, and then quickly walked out of his office. As soon as he opened his door, he was swarmed by reporters and other members of the media, all asking him questions as he fought his way towards the elevator.

"Hey! Hey! Give the man some room!" Quentin shouted as he helped Oliver get through

Rene and Thea were also there helping him get through the crowds. Soon, the four of them were able to get into the elevator safely. Oliver hit the button for the roof and they were immediately taken up.

"I thought you were trying to avoid the press" Thea said

"I was, but Nyssa called. She's on the roof" Oliver answered

"Ah, I see"

A small ding echoed through the small room and then the doors opened. Oliver walked out into a small portion of a room that was on the roof, then pushed open the doors that actually led outside. Near the edge of the roof, Nyssa stood in her league armor, with her hood down, and one foot up on the ledge of the roof while looking down at the bustling street. When she heard footsteps, she turned around to see Oliver, Quentin, Thea, and Rene all approaching

"Have you guys found anything?" Oliver asked

"Katara's running a search pattern to find irregular sound wave changes, Lenora and Jacob are doing a sweep of the city, Dinah and Curtis are looking around the LD, and Dig, Jinja, and Kaida are checking some areas in the glades" Nyssa started "I've got a couple people in the league that are working up leads but I don't think they will be able to help much"

"So in others words, we still don't have anything" Oliver sighed

Nyssa gave a small shake of her head and looked down at the ground while Oliver just put his head in his hands.

"Hey Oliver" Rene said from the side, looking up from his phone "The people downstairs can't hold back the press any longer. You should give them a statement"

"Go" Nyssa said after noticing her husband's hesitation "We'll continue looking. Just do what you can from here"

"Okay…" Oliver trailed off as he started walking away, but was stopped when Nyssa grabbed his arm, spun him around, and pulled him into a kiss

"Don't worry" She said when they pulled away "We'll find William….at any cost"

Oliver gave a sad smile in reply, admiring how much better Nyssa was handling the pressure. She gave him a little nudge, telling him to go, so he turned around and joined Thea, Rene, and Quentin. As they walked back into the small half level, Oliver watching Nyssa shoot an arrow into the air, then slide down across the cable once it was secure.

The four city officials rode the elevator down to the main level and when they emerged, they were swarmed by the press. Instead of trying to fight them, Oliver started to speak up and they all quieted down

"Mr. Queen, what can you tell us on your son's disappearance. Was he taken or did he run away on his own?" A male reporter asked from the hoard

"I know for a fact that William would never run away which means someone took him. Right now, we've dedicated all our resources into finding him" Oliver answered

"Does that include the Green Arrow and his team of vigilantes?" A female asked

"Yes. I am in contact with the Green Arrow. He and his team are looking for my son as we speak"

"Why do you think someone would have taken your son? Money? Vengeance?" Another reporter asked

"I don't know why they took my son but I-" Oliver started, but then felt his phone ring in his pocket

He didn't care if there were reporters watching because if someone was calling him, it was about his son. Oliver pulled put his phone and looked at the caller ID with wide eyes. On the screen, the name of his beloved son was printed, so he answered immediately

"Hello Oliver" A female voice said from the other side "I see you have finally figured out your son is missing"

"Arabesque…" Oliver growled

"Ah, now that you have a hint, you've figured it out" Arabesque teased

"Let. My. Son. Go!" Oliver said in a stern voice

"You think I would go through all the trouble of taking your son only to just release him?" Arabesque laughed "No. Here's the deal. Nyssa for William"

"I am not handing my wife over to a psychopath like you!"

"Fine, then your son suffers until we get what we want"

"Dad! Dad help-phm..!" William called form the back ground, but was stopped when it sounded like someone put their hand over his mouth

"No! Stop! Don't hurt him!" Oliver called out

"You have three hours to complete the trade at the address I will send you. If you fail to comply, then William dies and we will personally come for what we came for…at any cost necessary"

With that, Arabesque hung up the phone, leaving the entire floor dead quiet at what had just been revealed to them. Oliver stood in the middle of it feeling an overwhelming amount of guilt, but then the reporters started asking questions in a frenzy. Quentin came to Oliver's rescue and helped him push through the hoard of people and into the conference room with Thea and Rene.

"What do we do?" Quentin asked once the door was shut "Who is this woman anyway?"

"Arabesque, the leader of a group of three siren sisters…" Oliver started "They're the ones that put Nyssa in that trance"

"So why would they want Nyssa back?" Thea asked

"Well considering that she's in international assassin, leader of a league, nine time meta and an incredibly smart person, there could be several reasons" Rene said

"So what should we do? If they were able to get to Nyssa last time you guys fought, then they're obviously not a group we can just go in and take out" Thea said

"What do you mean 'we'?" Oliver asked

"I'm coming out there with you" Thea started "I'm coming back as Speedy"

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Quentin asked

"Positive. William's my nephew and Nyssa's my sister in law. I'm not just going to sit by while my family is danger when there's something I can do about it" Thea said confidently

"Thank you Speedy" Oliver said with a soft, yet sad, smile "I don't know what we should do for a plan at the moment, but I'm going to try and figure all of this out"

"No you're not" Thea said as she put a hand on her brother's shoulder "Just take a few minutes to yourself. I can see when you're scared, anxious, and just in distress and right now, it's as clear as day. You're not going to be any help if you're not in the right mindset"

"Thea's right Hos. Just take a few minutes and then come back when you're ready" Rene said

Oliver gave a nod in reply and left for his office. He knew he could use the couple minutes so he didn't try to protest at all. Thankfully, his office was on the same floor he was already on so after taking a couple shortcuts around the reporters, Oliver arrived at his office. When he stepped inside the office, he was surprised to see a hooded figure dressed in black, dark gray, and gold looking out the large windows.

"That was quicker, even for you" Oliver said as he stepped over to Nyssa's side

"I know where my priorities lie" Nyssa replied as she turned towards Oliver

She still had her hood on so Oliver pushed it back along with her veil, revealing her dark hair, which wasn't actually tied back, and the golden circlet she usually wore in Finiks Jurf

"I'll do it" Nyssa said, seeing the sad glance Oliver was giving her

"Do what?" Oliver asked, slightly puzzled

"I'll turn myself over to the sirens in order to get William back"

 **Author's Note: Ooohhh, I am going to have SO much fun writing the next chapter. There is a huge master plan behind all of this so I'm really looking forward to actually writing it out. I was originally going to have the whole thing be one chapter, but like the problem in Samoan Warrior, there wouldn't have been a good enough build up or conflict behind it. Hopefully it's worth it and you guys will enjoy it!**


	29. Revenge

"What do you mean you'll hand yourself over to the sirens!? Are you crazy?!" Oliver questions

"Some have called me by such a name" Nyssa said with a very faint smile "Look, William's in danger and if there's something I can do to make sure he's safe, then I'll do it"

"But you can't just hand yourself over, you don't know what they want and not to mention that risk of the trance"

"I know it seems risky, but I have an idea so the trance doesn't work"

"And what's that?"

"Some incredibly complicated spiritual sword magic and a bit of luck, but it would take too long to explain before you understood"

"Well did you test this with Nazaria, Elena, Zayn, or even-"Oliver started, but he was cut off when there was a loud commotion that started outside the door "Crap, you don't have time to get away"

"Hold on a sec" Nyssa said as she stepped back

In less than three seconds, Nyssa was able to create an illusion that hid her league attire and made her look more like a normal person

"That still baffles me" Oliver confessed

"Just play along" Nyssa said right before Oliver pulled her into his arms

Nyssa had just buried her head into Oliver's shoulder when the doors to his office flew open and the captain of the SCPD, Wyatt Malachite, walked in with three officers and a detective behind him. When he entered, Oliver looked up from where he had his chin resting on top of Nyssa's head and stared directly at the captain

"Mrs. Queen, how did you get in here? Where have you been?" Wyatt asked

"I was in Hub City visiting family but after hearing the news, I got on the first plane to the city and I've had enough experience in this building to know short cuts"

"I see…Mr. Queen, we found the location where the kidnapper has William and we've set out a unit as well as a chopper" Wyatt reported "Mrs. Queen, we'd like to take you into protective custody"

"I will stay here with my husband" Nyssa replied with eyes slightly watered from fake tears

"Very well, but a team of agents will stay in case something goes wrong with our original plan" Wyatt said

"And what of the vigilantes?" Oliver asked "Should you call them to help in case something goes south?"

"If you want to get them involved, I can have my officers get into contact with them"

"T-This can't be happening" Nyssa whispered with tear filled eyes "I need to go…"

"Landon, Colton, go with her" Wyatt said to two of the officers behind him

"No, it's alright. She can handle herself" Oliver said with a hand motion, telling the officers to hold

Nyssa gave a quick nod of thanks, then slipped out of the office. She rounded a couple of corners to avoid the press, then opened the door that led to the stair well. When she was in the stair well and certain no one had followed her, Nyssa ended the illusion and she was back to being in her league armor.

"What happened? Your coms went black for around seven minutes" Dig said once she turned them back on

"Had to do a bit of acting to get past the cops and press" Nyssa replied "Someone is about to get a call from the cops asking for assistance in getting William back so-" Nyssa started, but then Katara interrupted

"That would be them" Katara said "Nyssa, I'm putting you through"

"Which vigilante is this?" Wyatt asked

"Phoenix" Nyssa replied in her modulated voice

"The mayor has requested help from the vigilantes in order to get his son back. Where is the Green Arrow?"

"Attending to another matter out of city"

"Very well, so can you help us?"

"I'll be at city hall in three minutes"

"On behalf of the mayor, I'd like to thank you"

"We're just doing our job" Nyssa said, then Katara ended the call "The rest of you, get to the warehouse where William is. I'll go with the cops so no suspicion is raised

"Okay then, we'll meet you there" Lenora said

"Good luck with the press" Jinja said

"Yeah, those reporters are just dying to get a good story" Thea started "Just pull some of the those slick maneuvers you taught me last year and you should be fine for getting around them, but sometimes they like to barge into private meetings"

"Thanks for the tip Speedy" Nyssa said

Nyssa pulled her hood and face mask back up so that only her dark eyes were visible to other people. She waited in the stair well for around two and a half minutes before getting up from the wall she was leaning up against and creating a small flame. Like expected, the fire turned into a majestic fiery bird. Nuriel perched herself on Nyssa's shoulder, letting the tail feathers drape down her back.

"Bimhara (Subtly)" Nyssa whispered

Nuriel jumped up from her shoulder and only circled her once while moving up. Very little amounts of flames were produced and all though it took a bit longer to actually reach the destination, it was worth not setting the floor up in flames. A light that wasn't as bright as normal flashed before Nyssa's eyes and she shut them as part of a natural reaction. When she opened them a couple seconds later, Nyssa found herself in the small area of the floor where the elevator was sectioned off. There was a set of large frosted doors in front of her, so Nyssa walked forward to reach them

While she was walking forward, someone walked out from one of the hallways that branched off and ended up running right into Nyssa. They recovered from the run in rather quickly, then Nyssa recognized exactly who it was

"Apologies, I didn't see you-…" Tarren said, but then trailed off when he realized he ran into one of the vigilantes "Umm…I'm sorry, I didn't think Oli-Mr. Queen actually asked you to come here

"Understandable" Nyssa replied in her modulated voice

Nyssa started walking forward and past Tarren. He started walking in the other direction, but then something like a memory flashed before his eyes. The dirty blonde haired man saw the vigilante known as Phoenix standing with him in the training room on the security mat. In this memory that Tarren remembered, Nyssa was supposed to be standing there but in his vision, Tarren saw that the vigilante was replacing Nyssa and had her hood down, revealing her dark brown hair. As quick as the vision came, it ended. Tarren didn't know what he had just seen, but turned around to see the back of the vigilante he had just run into

"Weird…" Tarren muttered before walking towards the elevator

As soon as Nyssa stepped into the main part of the floor, the reporters and media personnel that were trying to get their next story started swarming her. If it weren't for the officers that stepped out from the crowds and created a break in the path way, Nyssa would have had to use some force to get through.

When she finally came to the doors to Oliver's office, she pushed them open and stepped inside, creating something like a grand entrance. Wyatt turned around and instinctively stepped in front of Oliver, but Oliver pushed the captain aside and stepped up towards Nyssa

"You'll help me find my son?" Oliver asked

"My team and I won't rest until you, your son and your wife are safe" Nyssa replied

"Wyatt, can I speak to her privately?" Oliver asked the captain

"Of course. I need to assemble my teams anyways" Wyatt started before walking towards the door with his officers "A chopper will be waiting on the roof"

Nyssa watched from the corner of her eye was Wyatt and the other officers exited the office, leaving her and Oliver alone.

"Are you sure this is the right way to do things?" Oliver asked

"I know what we're doing will work" Nyssa started "But I need you to trust me throughout this whole thing, alright?"

"You speak as if you expect me not to"

"All I can say is that I need you to remember that everything's going to be alright and that this will all be over once we get William back"

"Okay, I trust you" Oliver said "I'd kiss you but I have no idea who's lingering"

"Do you seriously think I care if someone sees me kissing my husband?" Nyssa asked before pulling down her hood and mask

She quickly pulled Oliver to a kiss and he cupped the side of her face, deepening it. When the pulled away from each other, Nyssa flashed a smile before pulled her covering back up. Oliver returned the smile just as Nyssa walked out of the office, being escorted by the officers up to the roof

-(=+=)-

William was still tied to the chair in some warehouse while Harmony and Melody lingered in the same area, making sure he didn't try to escape. The boy was nervous and wondering how his parents were going to fix all of this, but he knew that they would and he would get out alright.

"Everything is set. We're heading to the docks for the exchange" Arabesque said as she walked up towards William and her sisters

"Finally, some action" Melody said before jumping off the crate she had been sitting on

"My dad wouldn't just hand my mom over to you guys, she's stronger than that!" William growled

"On the contrary little pup" Arabesque grinned "I recall your mother being victim to a certain song"

"She was protecting my dad and his friends! She wouldn't just let you take over a city without putting up a good fight beforehand"

"And that's why we want her back for our cause; because she's a fighter" Arabesque said "Harmony, Melody, get him to the van"

William wasn't able to process what was happening before Harmony stalked up behind him. He gasped right as Harmony put two fingers on the back of his neck, right on the carotid artery, and twisted it a certain way. As a result, William lost consciousness, leaving him at the will of the sirens.

-(=+=)-

"Half a mile out" The pilot of the helicopter reported

"Good, as soon as we land, dispatch the first three teams into the site" Wyatt said

"No" Nyssa said suddenly "My team and I will go in first. We have past experience with the kidnappers and trust me, they are not your average street criminal looking for a prize"

"Then do you know why they requested a trade? William for Nyssa, the mayor's wife of all people!"

"No, I do not" Nyssa lied "But whatever their intentions, they are most likely impure or they're just looking for a trophy"

"I suppose so. A woman who practically came back from the dead would be considered quite a trophy" Wyatt said

"Nearing destination" The pilot said

Nyssa looked out the window as the chopper started to descend. They got closer and closer to the landing site on the docks and a little further in the distance, Nyssa could see the lights of the squad cars and the large group of emergency responders.

The chopper landed and as soon as it did, Nyssa, Wyatt, and a couple other officers jumped out and started walking towards the large group

"We're all in position" Dig said over the coms

"Good, I'm with the responders on the north side. I'll meet you on the south" Nyssa replied before catching up to Wyatt "I'm meeting up with my team. Keep your men back until I say otherwise or else our attack plan will be screwed up"

"You're putting the boy's life at risk just to take these bastards down?" Wyatt questioned

"No, he will not be put in harm's way during this process, I will make sure of it even at the cost of my own life" Nyssa replied "Just do as I say and all of this will be over soon"

"Okay then…" Wyatt said before Nyssa ran off towards the area to meet the rest of the team

Nyssa ducked out of the way of the responders and wove in between crates, small buildings, and some machinery until she reached the north side of the warehouse. When she rounded another corner, Nyssa saw just who she was looking for. There standing in a large group was her entire team; Dig, Dinah, Curtis, Thea, Lenora, Jacob, Jinja, Kaida, and Katara keeping them all active on coms as their Over watcher

"Glad to see you could escape the public eye" Dinah said

"As am I" Nyssa replied "You guys have a basic understanding on the plan which is all you need to know. Dig, Thea, Lenora, and Jacob, come with me inside the warehouse to make the exchange. Curtis, Dinah, Jinja, and Kaida, stay out here and keep an eye on the responders as well as the warehouse to make sure no one unwanted comes in or out"

"I'll keep thermal up on both sides" Katara said over the com "From the looks of it, the sirens and a particular hostage are inside the warehouse near the east of the back entrance"

"Good, let's move out" Nyssa concluded

Nyssa was the first to head for the warehouse, followed by Dig, Thea, Lenora, and Jacob. The other members of the team all dispersed around the area to make sure that everything went smoothly. As they walked, Nyssa grabbed the riser of her bow off her belt and hit the small camouflaged button. The black and gold limbs of the bow extended out from the riser and once they were in their position, the bow was strung on its own. After considering everything that would have taken it's place, Nyssa had concluded on her own that this was definitely Zayn's best invention and the most convenient. Good thing they'd be going out to the rest of the league by the end of the month

"Nice bow" Thea said as they approached the back entrance to the warehouse "League specialty?"

"Precisely. If you want one, I can arrange for a custom" Nyssa replied

"That would be pretty cool" Thea said

"We can talk more about the subject later. For now, we have a task to focus on"

Nyssa approached the back entrance to the warehouse and found that the only way in was through a single door. When she pushed down on the door handle, she discovered it was locked.

"Great, now we have to use an explosive and blow our cover" Thea groaned

"Not exactly" Nyssa said as she put three middle fingers underneath the industrial handle so they were positioned underneath the lock

Nyssa slowly ran her fingers up the side of the round handle, bringing them closer to her. She could feel the earthy metals inside the lock moving, so she continued to move her hand up the side, moving the metals ever so carefully, just in case there was a trap. A couple seconds later, Nyssa pulled her hand back into midair and a small click was heard on the other side of the door.

"Nice trick" Lenora said "Have you been working on that with Elena?"

"Yeah, in our spare time" Nyssa said before pushing the door open

The five vigilantes all proceeded to enter the warehouse, being wary of their surroundings. They were near the middle of the warehouse when they heard the echo of footsteps. All of them turned around to see Arabesque approaching while Melody and Harmony were behind her, pushing William along

"So glad you decided to come out tonight, and with such a large entourage too" Arabesque said "Quite unexpected I must say"

"Let my son go" Nyssa growled

"Can't do that just yet" Arabesque replied "We have a deal in place. Your compliance for your son's safe return"

"Just let him go…I'll go with you"

"Very well" Arabesque said before nodding towards her sisters

"Mom…." William muttered once he was let go

"Don't worry, we're not going to kill you as long as your mother fulfills her end of the deal" Melody said as she gave William a push forward

William briskly walked towards Nyssa, who was almost running towards him. As soon as they were close enough, Nyssa knelt down slightly and quickly pulled William into her arms. The fourteen year old gripped the fabric of Nyssa's armor and buried his head into her shoulder

"Mom, what's going on? Why do they want you to go back?" William muttered

"I don't know, but don't worry, it will all be over soon" Nyssa said as she pulled away and looked William straight in eyes before taking off her hood "I need you to get out of here and find somewhere safe to go, do you understand?"

William gave a quick but sad and confused nod. Nyssa gave him a soft, motherly smile before standing back up. William slowly started walking in the opposite direction as Nyssa walked towards the sirens

"So, are we going to have to do this the easy way or the hard way?" Arabesque asked

"I will not help you take over a city. You're going to need to find another way to get what you want because I am not going with you" Nyssa growled

"Hmm, that's disappointing" Arabesque said with a faked tone of disappointment

"Guys, get back!" Nyssa shouted as she started walking backwards as the sirens all grouped up

The other four vigilantes and William tried to escape the warehouse before what Nyssa feared could happen, but it was too late. When Nyssa was only around ten feet away, the sirens released their disharmonious sound wave. Nyssa knew that the others would be affected by it so right before it hit her, she shot her right hand up behind her, creating a wall made of an air current. The sound wave hit her but ricocheted off the barrier that was created. Nyssa covered her ears as she fell down to one knee, trying to block out the sound as the rest of her team called her name over and over again. Just as the disharmony was reaching its peak, as flash of amber light glistened from Nyssa's wrist, and then the sound wave faded off. Arabesque and her sisters all smirked as Nyssa stood up from the ground with the look of a killer in her eyes once more

"Welcome back Nyssa" Arabesque said "Ready to continue what we started?"

"If what you meant by continuing means taking you down, then there's nothing holding me back" Nyssa replied

Arabesque and her sisters weren't able to react fast enough before Nyssa clapped her hands together, creating a forceful current of air that sent the sirens flying backwards. They all hit the stone floor with a painful thud as Nyssa prepared for a fight

"Why you little…" Arabesque growled as she got up

"Never prepared for a resistance stone?" Nyssa smirked, now revealing the piece of ancient amber that was secured around her wrist on a piece of braided twine "You are more foolish than I thought"

"But not naïve enough to come here alone" Melody said as she and Harmony clapped their hands in the air

Right on que, several men armed with AR rifles emerged from their positions around the warehouse, surrounding Nyssa, her team, and the sirens

"Now it looks pretty even" Arabesque smirked

"I'd have to agree" Nyssa said

In a flash of movement, the team of vigilantes shot out in all directions towards their opponents; Thea and Dig towards the shooters, Jacob towards Harmony, Lenora towards Melody, and Nyssa towards Arabesque, all ready for a long and bloody fight

-(=+=)-

"It's been almost ten minutes since they went in there. Maybe we should call for back up" An officer advised

"No, Phoenix specifically said not to enter until she said to, otherwise, the boy could lose his life" Wyatt replied

"But what if they've already lost their lives?"

"Ye of no faith, do you really think Oliver would call these vigilantes in to get his son back if they couldn't handle it?"

"Of course I wouldn't" A voice said from behind

Wyatt and the officer both turned around to see Oliver approaching them with Tarren and four other members of the mayor's security personnel behind him. Wyatt was shocked to see the mayor there, but decide to get some answers before jumping to conclusions

"Mr. Queen, what the hell are you doing here?!" Wyatt questioned

"My son is in danger and I refuse to just sit in an office and wait when there is something I could do here" Oliver said "What's going on?"

"We're not sure. We've been in the dark for around ten minutes but we were told not to engage unless given specific instructions to by Phoenix" Wyatt replied

Oliver nodded, remembering that Nyssa had told him to trust her throughout this whole thing, but he was incredibly worried about this whole thing. He couldn't figure out who he was more nervous for; Nyssa, who had concocted some, supposedly, master plan to fix all of this, or William, who was the one who needed to be saved

Oliver remained standing with Wyatt, the officer, Tarren, and the other members of the security detail. He watched the front of the warehouse, then saw a flash of fiery light from the clouded windows. It was so subtle that the responders couldn't see it, but he recognized it as one of Nyssa's fires. That meant that they were actually in a fight, but what side Nyssa was on was unclear to him considering she was supposed to be fighting the sirens

-(=+=)-

Nyssa had tried to hit Arabesque with a shot of fire, but the oldest siren ended up blocking her attack by using the side of her wrist to angle Nyssa's arm up right before the fire escaped. The flame shot up into the air with a bright, orange light, but faded quickly. Nyssa tried to kick Arabesque down, but the siren stepped back and slid to the side slightly. Arabesque drew her two knives and started swinging at Nyssa, but the assassin used her arms to push and angle the siren's out of the way.

"This could go one for hours!" Arabesque said right after ducking back from one of Nyssa's punches

"Then let it be so!" Nyssa replied right before spun forward, landing in a position where she was more angled towards the ground with one foot forward, her right fist at her side while her left fist was pointing down towards Arabesque's feet

Arabesque barely had time to jump out of the way before Nyssa shot another flame at the siren's feet. She stumbled backwards just in time to see Nyssa jumping up into the air with her sword drawn. Arabesque knew the sword was going to hit her, so she did a couple back hand springs, avoiding the cut of the blade. She was still trying to regain her breath as Nyssa ran back towards her.

Lenora and Melody were both engaged in a knife battle against each other. Their small, metal blades continued to clash against one another, almost in a manner where they were creating a melody

"Isn't your cover name Sterling?" Melody questioned

"To that you are correct!" Lenora said before spinning and bringing her knives down towards Melody, but the siren blocked them with an X formation of her arms

"Quite beautiful, but it won't be in use for long!" Melody said as she jumped back from the block

Lenora stumbled forward and while she was regaining her step, Melody grabbed two knives from the side of her legs and threw them straight towards her opponent. Lenora saw the knives coming and knew exactly what to do, after all, she was a Russian knife roulette champion. As the knives hurled towards her, Lenora jumped up and grabbed the one aimed for her head, then caught the one aimed towards her chest with a small spin. As she spun back around, Lenora repositioned the knives so she was holding the blades with the tips of her fingers, then threw them right back towards Melody. The siren didn't know how to react and ended up freezing in fear right as the knives planted themselves in her chest. Melody coughed up blood before falling backwards on the ground, eyes wide open as she released her last breath.

Lenora was still regaining her breath when she saw Jacob and Harmony fighting in hand to hand combat. She quickly ran towards her husband right before Harmony was about to punch him, bus Lenora kicked her side, sending her stumbling to the side

"Hey Lele" Jacob smiled "Are you cheating off me?"

"Yeah, hope you don't mind" Lenora quipped

"Not at all" Jacob smirked before the two assassins ran back towards Harmony, who had recovered from her stumble

Dig and Thea both ran through the group of shooters, randomly dodging bullets as they struck their opponents down. Dig grabbed hold of one's arm, pulled him closer, pressed his own gun against the man's chest, and fired. The shooter fell to the ground dead, then Dig advanced on two more. Thea spun around a man, grabbed him in a chokehold, and held onto him as the breath left his body. Two other shooters ran towards Thea, but she saw it coming and used the unconscious man in her grip as a human shield. The two shooters shot their partner and lowered their guns in shock. Thea took that moment to drop the body and run towards the men. She was easily able to twist a couple pressure points on one man, paralyzing him, then she nocked an arrow and fired it into the other's chest

"This is so much better than I remember!" Thea called to Dig

"Maybe you should come back to the team!" Dig called back after shooting another man

"I think I'll just have to!" Thea laughed before running towards more men

Nyssa ran back towards Arabesque with her own knives drawn and the two blocked each other's attacks. They continued a pattern like this for a couple more attacks before Nyssa finally switched it up. First, she tried to go for an attack to the neck, but Arabesque saw it coming and was able to hit an opening on Nyssa's side. She ended up receiving a quickly slash on her side from the siren, but she didn't hesitate to try another attack. Arabesque expected an attack on the center, but instead, Nyssa ducked down at the last minute and gave two quick slashes to Arabesque's legs. The sirens groaned in pain while stumbling back, but couldn't recover before Nyssa jumped up into the air and did a round house kick, creating a gust of air. The sudden current pushed Arabesque flying back into the air and she quickly crashed into some old crates. Nyssa looked down at Arabesque, who was unconscious and bloodied, with a scowl, but then looked over towards Lenora and Jacob, who were fighting Harmony.

Nyssa ran towards the two younger vigilantes but didn't have to take much action as Jacob ducked behind Harmony and pulled her into a chokehold. Lenora held her sword so it was pointed at Harmony's chest while she struggled to breathe. The siren fought to free herself, but couldn't manage to free herself before Jacob snapped her neck to the side. He let go of the siren's body and looked towards Lenora and Nyssa

"Looks like we're on a role" He breathed

"Seems like it, now let's go help Thea and Dig with all those shooters so we can get the hell out of here" Nyssa said

-(=+=)-

Oliver stood outside impatiently while watching the warehouse. It had been twenty minutes since Nyssa and the team went into the warehouse and still, there was no word from them. He was tired of waiting and knew that he had to get in there to help, but his security detail was going to be a problem

"Tarren! Can I get your help!" Wyatt called from across the scene where he was standing with some other officers

Tarren quickly walked off towards Wyatt to assist him with whatever he needed. A blessing in disguise to Oliver. Tarren would have been the hardest to get off his back after all the training he had received from Nyssa, but for his rookies, they were easy

"Hey guys, there's something I want to check out" Oliver said to the two body guards

The two security members followed Oliver over to the far side of the scene where the number of people and activity was extremely limited. He saw an area blocked off by some shipment containers, so he walked over in that direction, slightly confusing the body guards.

Oliver continued to walk forward until he was positive he was far enough away from the scene so he couldn't be heard or seen. He quickly turned around towards the two body guards and grabbed one by the collar of his blazer. Oliver slammed the man's head against one of the shipment containers, knocking him unconscious on impact. The second body guard was completely baffled as Oliver ran towards him. He couldn't fight back since it was the mayor, making it easy for Oliver to pull him into a chokehold

"Mr. Mayor….what are you….doing…!?" The body guard coughed while struggling to free himself

"It's nothing you did, but I can't stand by and watch when I could be helping" Oliver confessed "Don't worry, you will not be fired because of this, I will make sure of it"

Before the guard could reply, Oliver tightened his hold and the man fell unconscious. Oliver gently put the body on the ground, then ran off towards the warehouse.

Since he was a vigilante, Oliver was easily able to find the entrance his team used to get in the warehouse. As he ran, he caught a faint glimpse of a member of his team walking along some elevated crates, keeping an eye on the responders. He was able to recognize it as Dinah, but thankfully, he was able to slip under her eye. Oliver came to the door that Nyssa and the team had used to get into the warehouse and pushed it open. He ran inside and saw Nyssa, Lenora, Jacob, Thea, and Dig all fighting off the last of the shooters. Each masked vigilante was taking down one or two of their own and the bodies were dropping quickly. They were almost all down, except for one, who was stalking up on Dig who had his back turned while he was fighting another. Oliver didn't want his brother in arms to get hurt, so he ran towards the shooter.

The shooter heard Oliver's footsteps and spun around. He tried to shoot at Oliver, but the mayor grabbed his arm, reangled it causing the bullets to be fired in another direction completely. While he still had a grip on the man's arm, Oliver spun into it and elbowed the man right in the throat, causing part of it to break. The man stumbled backwards as he coughed up blood, then fell to the ground as more blood fell from the corner of his mouth

Thea punched out one more shooter before all of them had been taken down. All the vigilantes turned towards Oliver with mixed emotions on their faces.

"Beloved, what are you doing here?!" Nyssa questioned as she walked towards Oliver

"I wasn't going to stand by and wait to see if you guys would come out. I had to do something" Oliver replied

"And thank you for that, or else I would have been in for something interesting" Dig said

"Okay, you four get out of here and round up the rest of the team. The responders will be in here any minutes after we took a bit longer than expected and I don't need them to get involved with more vigilantes" Nyssa said

"We'll meet you on the furthest east end" Lenora said "There shouldn't be anyone there"

"Good thinking, we'll be there after finding William" Oliver said "I know he's hiding around here somewhere"

"Okay then, see you in a bit" Thea said

The four other vigilantes walked out of the warehouse in a hurry so they wouldn't be caught by the responders. Nyssa turned back towards Oliver while she still had her hood on and looked at him with a faint smile

"Thanks for trusting me on this" Nyssa said

"No need to thank me, I always trust you" Oliver smiled "Now, where's William?"

"I…don't know" Nyssa confessed

"M-M-Mom…" A young voice muttered from behind

Oliver and Nyssa both turned around to see William being held in place by a knife at his chest. Arabesque, who was bloodied and bruised, had her arm wrapped around the upper part of his chest and collar bone with an evil look of determination on her face

"You…" Arabesque growled "You killed my sisters!"

"Yes, I did" Nyssa said in a stern tone

"They were everything to me…" Arabesque said in a tone full of wrath "Make one move and I'll kill your little boy mercilessly like you did to my little sisters!"

"M-Mom….D-D-Dad…." William said with tears welling up in his eyes

"William, it's going to be alright" Nyssa said as she slowly reached her hand out while carefully sliding her foot closer to her son and siren

"I said don't move!" Arabesque shouted, pressing the knife closer to William's chest, making a small drop of blood run down his shirt

Nyssa stopped immediately as well as Oliver. Arabesque smirked at knowing the power which she was holding right at her fingertips. Oliver's eyes darted in between Nyssa and William, both with fear and slight confidence that Nyssa knew how to handle this better than he did

"Now…I know you have some of that water on you" Arabesque said "You're going to use it to bring my sisters back"

"Even if I wanted to, there isn't enough to bring them both back" Nyssa said

"So you're not going to bring them back?" Arabesque asked

"Not a chance"

"Hmm, very well" Arabesque said and in a quick flash of movement, she plunged her knife into William's chest, right near his heart

"William!" Nyssa screamed as she watched William's eyes fill with pain and shock

Oliver was too shocked to say anything and found that he was only producing a stutter as Arabesque let William's body fall to the ground. The young boy lied on his side while blood spilled onto the stone ground.

Nyssa didn't waste a second in drawing her sword from the sheath on her back and running towards Arabesque. The movement was so quick that Arabesque didn't even have time to fully react. The siren barely had enough time to block the first hit and was sent stumbling back as Nyssa pushed her blade towards Arabesque. While the siren was still regaining her step, Nyssa drew her sword towards her and twirled it. The blade of the sword flashed black right before a black mist like smoke was emitted from the blade, but that wasn't all that happened. Flashes of lightning spontaneously flashed through the black darkness as if dark, stormy clouds were dancing on the sword.

Nyssa quickly ran forward and in a couple quick maneuvers, she dodged all of Arabesque's attacks until she was right in front of her. Nyssa didn't even blink as she rose the sword up into the air and shoved it straight through Arabesque's throat

"Go ahead and join your damn sisters" Nyssa said in a cold growl as Arabesque coughed up blood

Nyssa pulled the blade out of Arabesque's throat and held it at her side while it was angled towards the ground. Arabesque fell back to the stone ground with as much life left in her as a brick. Nyssa still had a scowl on her face as she looked at the last fallen siren, but then her attitude completely changed when she remembered why she had just stabbed Arabesque so brutally

"William!" Nyssa shouted as she turned around and ran towards him

Oliver was already kneeling at William's side with his blazer being pressed up against the boy's chest while a bloodied knife lay to the side.

"William, buddy just hold on, everything's going to be alright. Hey, look at me William! Keep your eyes open!" Oliver pleaded while keeping his hand on William's forehead while Nyssa skidded to William's side, kicked off her boot in the process

There was something like a tiny sheath strapped to Nyssa's ankle where she had kept a small vial of eternal water. She quickly pulled it out of hold and threw the top to the side while tears streamed down her cheeks

"Mom….Dad…." William tried, but found a tremendous amount of pain in just blinking

"William, everything's going to be alright" Nyssa said

"No…use it on yourself…" William said after noticing the cut on his mom's side

"No buddy, you need it more" Nyssa said before picking up the corner of the jacket to see just how large the wound was "William, this isn't going to feel too good, but I need you to try and stay awake"

Oliver gently but quickly moved his jacket off from the stab wound, revealing just how severe the wound was. Nyssa tried not to gag at the sight of her son dying in front of her, but poured the water into the blood filled wound. As soon as the last drop of water hit the wound, the blood started to break up and the edges of the cut started to seal back together. William's breath hitched slightly as the water worked on the wound until he was finally put in a stable, but unconscious, state

"William…." Nyssa said as she took the boy's wrist into her hand, looking for a pulse

A look of relief but also sadness spread over Nyssa's face once she felt the boy's pulse. Although it was weak, it was slowly improving which meant the water was working, but a bit slower than wanted

"This is all my fault" Nyssa cried "I shouldn't have tried such a risky plan and I should have killed her when she was down the first time"

"William's going to be alright and that's all that matters" Oliver said, tears stained his cheeks as well

Nyssa still had William's hand in her own when she heard footsteps from behind Oliver. Oliver turned his head to see a the head of the security detail running towards him and Nyssa, but stopped when he saw Oliver's face

"Oliver…" Tarren gasped, seeing William lying unconscious on the ground while a bloody blazer lay to the side

Nyssa picked her head up when she heard the voice and looked straight at Tarren, eyes filled with tears. Tarren tried to hold back his gasp at seeing the unmasked vigilante, but it still escaped his lips after realizing what his vision had meant. Now everything made perfect sense, but none of that matter at that moment. What did matter was the young boy lying on the ground in between the ground where Oliver and Nyssa were kneeling


	30. Another Ally

Tarren stood in the middle of the warehouse, just staring at Oliver, Nyssa, and William in shock. He wanted to ask questions, lots of them in fact, but he knew that William was more important in that moment. Instead of rushing over, Tarren approached slowly and knelt down a bit behind Oliver

"What can I do to help?" Tarren asked "The responders are still out there"

"We need to get William out of here" Oliver said

"If you were to just walk outside from that exit over there you would be right in front of the responders. You're the mayor and I don't think you would be able to just slip away" Tarren said, then turned towards Nyssa "You can slip away, but they'll want to just see you so it's up to you"

"I don't want to leave William" Nyssa said plainly while wiping her eyes with her sleeve

"I know you don't, but considering the way you're dressed, you're going to have to for a bit" Tarren replied

"Let's just go so we can get home sooner" Oliver said

Oliver picked William up in his arms and held the boy's head close to his chest. Nyssa and Tarren both stood up and started following Oliver towards the exit of the warehouse. As they walked, Nyssa slipped her veil back over her nose and mouth, then pulled up her hood.

When Oliver stepped outside, he was immediately flocked by paramedics and officers. He was ushered over towards and ambulance and when Nyssa tried to follow him, she felt someone grab her wrist. She looked back and saw Tarren holding her back

"What the hell are you doing?" Nyssa growled

"Certain attire suggests you're someone else. Going with Oliver and William would blow your cover" Tarren whispered in reply

Nyssa looked back towards Oliver and saw him climbing in an ambulance with William. She wanted so bad to just run over there but Tarren was right, it would be a dead giveaway. Nyssa was about to say something but then heard someone calling her name from the left. She turned her head and saw two hooded figures hiding in the shadows and recognized their attire immediately. Nyssa walked off towards that direction and looked straight at the two

"What's going on? Did something happen to William?" Lenora asked

"H-He's going to be fine" Nyssa replied

"Did those sirens do something to him?" Jinja asked

"Damn siren stabbed him when I refused to bring her sisters back with the small amount of water I had" Nyssa growled

"My god, is he going to be alright?!" Lenora asked

"He's stable…we did use the water on him" Nyssa replied

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Jinja asked

"Get the team back to the bunker. The sirens are dead and there is something I need to do before meeting up with Oliver" Nyssa said

"Okay, we'll tell them" Lenora said as she and Jinja started walking away "If you need anything, just call"

"Thanks"

"What is it that you need to do?" Tarren asked as the two other vigilantes walked away

"Burn those bodies so there's no chance of someone bringing them back" Nyssa growled

"Woah, don't you think that's crossing a line?"

"I guess our lines are just drawn very differently"

"You can't just go in and burn them! One was stabbed through the throat, one has a snapped neck, and the other has two knives going through their chest! There's no way they could come back!"

"You clearly weren't in the city two years ago"

"You mean when Darhk attacked?" Tarren asked "Yeah, I was here but the Green Arrow killed him!"

"Yet people have a way of coming back" Nyssa started "No criminal is never truly dead"

"Nyssa, I know you're upset, but going off to take revenge that has already been taken is pushing it" Tarren reasoned "Go, go see your son and Oliver. I'll take care of everything here"

"I thought you were supposed to be by my beloved's side, not here"

"Technically, I am, but I doubt that there weren't some cops that followed him to the hospital so just go! Don't worry about anything here!"

"Okay" Nyssa replied "Thank you"

"No problem, but I want an explanation later" Tarren said "You owe me that much"

"You'll get your answers soon"

-(=+=)-

Oliver paced in the hallway of the hospital just outside William's room. Dr. Schwartz had told Oliver to step outside since he was getting in the way while she was trying to check William for any injuries. He was getting impatient, although it had only been around twenty seconds since he stepped outside.

"Oliver" A voice said from his right

Oliver picked up his head and saw Nyssa approaching. He smiled slightly, but then she pulled him into her arms.

"How is he?" Nyssa asked while they still held each other

"I don't know, I got kicked out" Oliver replied as he buried his head next to Nyssa's head "I thought you were down at the warehouse"

"Tarren said he'd take care of everything and that I needed to be here with you and William, but he wants an explanation later on what he saw"

"Mr. Queen" A voice said from the doorway of William's room

Oliver looked up and saw Dr. Schwartz standing in the doorway. Oliver and Nyssa both walked over towards her and waited for a report

"How is he?" Oliver asked

"Still unconscious" Schwartz replied "There aren't any major injuries, only some bruises and lingering effects of a sedative. He should wake up in a few hours from what I can tell"

"Thank god" Oliver sighed "Can we see him?"

Schwartz nodded and stepped aside so Oliver and Nyssa could go inside. Oliver looked over and saw that William was still unconscious, but he looked comfortable. As Oliver and Nyssa both walked over to his bedside, Schwartz subtly left the room so they could have a moment with their son

"I can't believe he got pulled into this" Oliver said while looking down at his son "There had to be something we could have done to prevent this"

"Like kill those sirens the first time" Nyssa said from behind him and to his left

"What do you mean first time?"

"I knocked Arabesque out before you came in and thought that I could just bring her to a prison in Finiks Jurf but apparently, that wasn't the case"

"You were trying to change the way you did things from before the league" Oliver started "But it wasn't your fault that Arabesque was a psychopath"

"She wasn't acting like a complete psychopath…we did kill her sisters after all. I can't imagine that she would have just stood by and let that unfold rather than take an open shot"

"Are you alright, by the way?" Oliver asked, now turning to face his wife

"Hmm? Why wouldn't I be?"

"Before you used the water on William, he told you to use the water on yourself. I saw the cut so I'm asking, are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine" Nyssa replied "It was only a flesh wound"

"Okay"

"So how do you want to handle the press?"

"I don't. Maybe if I ask Quentin and Rene, they could handle it but I doubt I would be able to get out of it that easily"

"Especially since it involves William"

"I hate the media"

Nyssa nodded in reply, but then felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. She pulled it out and groaned slightly when she saw the caller ID

"Is it Elena?" Oliver asked after hearing Nyssa's groan

"Yeah, it's probably just more random questions" Nyssa replied

"You should take it, just in case it's not"

"Okay then, I'll be right back"

Nyssa stepped outside the hospital room and off to the side where she wouldn't be in the way of anyone working there or visiting loved ones. When she was standing near a window, she pressed the accept button and held the phone up to her ear

"What do you need Elena?" Nyssa asked

 _"_ _I need to know what's going on with you and Star City"_ She replied

"What?"

 _"_ _One minute you were working with Andrew and his team about better coordination plans for the international troops and the next minute you're running towards the waterfall, taking some of the water, and leaving to the city without any explanation"_ Elena replied _"I heard something about William and so I tried to call earlier but you weren't answering. Is everything alright?"_

"I think everything's going to be fine"

 _"_ _Details Nyssa, you're forgetting those"_

"Remember when I got back from Central City and I was telling you about those sirens?"

 _"_ _Yeah, I remember them. Did they do something!?"_

"They kidnapped William as a bargaining chip; me for William. The team and I went after him and took down Melody and Harmony, but I didn't kill Arabesque when she was down and she ended up holding William with a knife at his chest. She said that if I didn't use the water to bring her sisters back, she would hurt William. I told her that there wasn't enough water to bring them both back or barely enough for one so she…stabbed William"

 _"_ _Oh my god is he alright?!"_

"Thankfully, yeah. Oliver and I were able to use the water on him. We're in the hospital right now waiting for him to wake up"

 _"_ _Shoot, then this was a crappy time to call"_ Elena started _"I just wanted to check in because when you left, you looked more worried and frantic than normal"_

"With proper reason"

 _"_ _Right, so should we see you back here in around two days or so?"_

"It might be sooner than that, but yeah"

 _"_ _Okay, tell William I said hi!"_

"Will do"

Nyssa hung up the phone first and went straight back into William's room. When she walked in, she saw that Oliver had pulled a chair up to the bedside and was patiently waiting for his son to wake up

"Everything alright with Elena?" Oliver asked when Nyssa walked inside

"Yeah, she just wanted to check in"

"Okay, good"

-(=+=)-

"Okay, I am not going back to being normal after this" Thea concluded as she, Lenora, Jacob, Dig, Dinah, Curtis, Jinja, and Kaida all walked back into the bunker

"So you like getting back out on the field?" Katara asked from her seat on the platform

"I didn't know how much I missed the thrill until tonight!" Thea said excitedly

"Are you saying what we think you're saying?" Lenora asked "Are you back on the team?"

"Oh I'd love to, but I don't know if Ollie would like me to" Thea replied

"What are you talking about? You're his sister! He'd love to have you out there!" Curtis said

"Well if he doesn't have a problem with it, then I'd love to come back to this" Thea said

"Lenora, go find a bible" Jacob laughed

"One of the many!" Lenora said before running off

"A bible?" Thea questioned

"There's an ongoing joke we have for whenever someone joins the team" Dinah said

"Okay, I found something that will work" Lenora said as she ran back with a thick notebook

"That's not a bible" Thea observed

"No, it's not a traditional bible" Lenora started "It's the bible of vigilantes. Ever since Oliver started his crusade, he's kept this book and written down the name of everyone that has been taken down by him or his team. I only found out about it a couple weeks ago"

"He's written every name of every person he's taken down" Thea said as she started flipping through the book

"Yup, that's his master copy" Dig laughed

"Thea Dearden Queen, will you place your left hand on the 'bible' and hold your right hand in the air?" Lenora snickered while holding out the notebook

Thea just laughed as she participated in the ritual that the team had made up. The other members of the team all gathered around Thea and Lenora with wide smiles on their faces while some even tried to hold back a laugh

"Before we continue, we need official permission from the boss" Jacob said as he pulled out his phone

Jacob scrolled through his contacts until he found Oliver's number. He pressed the call button, turned it on speaker, and waited for someone to pick up. It was only around eleven seconds before Oliver picked up

 _"_ _What is it Jacob?"_ Oliver sighed

"Sheesh, I think there's room for a bit more excitement" Jacob started "We are requesting your permission to inaugurate someone into the team"

 _"_ _Who is it? A member of the league?"_

"For god's sakes Oliver it's your sister!" Jacob laughed, making everyone in the background snicker

"Hey Ollie" Thea said aloud

 _"_ _You want to join the team?"_ Oliver asked

"Yeah, I wanted to get back out there. I miss the thrill"

 _"_ _Are you absolutely sure you want to join? It gets really dangerous out there"_

"I'm sure, besides, with one more vigilante to the team of…how many of you are there?"

"Ummm….there are currently eight vigilantes, one hacker, and four honorary members" Katara said from up on the platform, where she was leaning down to watch the 'inauguration'

"Yeah, so a ninth vigilante will definitely be helpful in everything that goes one because honestly, you don't need nine vigilantes out every night" Thea said

 _"_ _It would be great having you on the team"_ Oliver said _"Are Lenora and the rest of the team carrying out the inauguration thing?"_

"Well it's mostly Jacob but yeah" Thea replied with a laugh

 _"_ _Okay then, you guys have my approval. Can't wait to get back out there with you again Thea"_ Oliver said

"Same here Ollie, see you out there" Thea said

"Well then, I guess we can continue with the oath" Jacob said as he straightened his posture "Thea 'Speedy' Dearden Queen, do you promise to uphold the commandments of the vigilante?"

"Commandments of the vigilante?" Thea questioned with a smirk

"Just go along with it" Dinah laughed from behind Lenora

"I will uphold the commandments of the vigilante" Thea replied with a laugh

"Do you vow to protect those who cannot protect themselves? Do you vow to apply your best efforts out in the field when faced with a difficult task?"

"I do so vow" Thea replied

"Wow, so formal" Curtis said from off to the side

"And if fate comes to it, will you put the city and personal needs behind that of the city's?"

"I will"

"Then in compliance of the existing vigilantes; Green Arrow, Phoenix, Spartan, Sterling, Zalam, Mr. Terrific, Black Canary, and Wild Dog, I welcome you to the team as Speedy" Jacob finished

The rest of the team that was gathered around Jacob and Thea all burst into applause and laughter. Thea was laughing as well, just savoring the moment with people she called family

"This is amazing! I can't believe you all came up with this" Thea laughed

"We had spare time" Jacob confessed "And it makes for good conversation later"

"So is all of this legit, like you actually do it for everyone that joins the team?" Thea asked

"No, it's just a joke of mockery, I guess" Lenora replied "Like Jacob said, it makes for good conversation later and it's fun to say we actually have a ceremony although no one except you and Katara went through it!"

"Wait, Katara did it too?" Thea asked, looking up at the dark brown haired, blue eyed woman

"Yeah, Lenora and Jacob were here when Dig offered me the position" Katara said

"Huh, figures" Thea started "Anyway, I still have an office job that I need to get back to tomorrow morning. I'll see you all tomorrow night?"

"Yup! Have a good night Thea!" Dig called

-(=+=)-

William woke up to sunlight dancing across his face from the open window. He opened his eyes and saw that he was in a rather boring looking hospital room. He let his eyes adjust for a moment before investigating his location. When he could see properly, William looked to his side and saw Oliver sleeping in one of the chairs by the window while Nyssa sat awake and reading a book

"Hey Mom" William said when he was looking over in her direction

Nyssa picked her head up from the book she was reading and jumped up from her chair.

"Hey buddy, you're awake" She said as she came to the bedside "How are you feeling?"

"Tired" William replied "What happened exactly?"

"More than you would want to know right now" Nyssa replied "Trust me, you don't really want to know right now"

"Yeah, probably not" William laughed

Oliver woke up to the sound of faint laughter from the other side of the room. He picked his head up from the wall he was leaning against and saw Nyssa talking with William.

"Hey, why didn't you guys wake me up?" Oliver asked as he walked over

"You were up all night and you had only been asleep for around a half hour when William got up" Nyssa explained

"Yeah Dad, and you look like you could use the sleep" William said, noticing the faint, black circles underneath his father's eyes

"Don't worry about me" Oliver said "You made us worried sick last night"

"Sorry"

"You have nothing to apologize for. Are you alright?"

"Just tired but I don't feel any pain if that's what you mean" William replied "Thanks for using that water on that…cut"

"Buddy, you don't have to thank us for anything" Nyssa said

"Well I should because you could have used that water on yourself" William said

"No, I really couldn't have" Nyssa started "You're our son and what kind of parents would we be if we didn't put you first?"

"Not very good ones I suppose" William replied

There was a small knock on the door to William's room, then it opened up revealing Dr. Schwartz's presence. She smiled at seeing William sitting up, awake, and alert

"Ah good, you're awake" She said happily as she walked in "How are you feeling?"

"Just a bit tired but other than that, I feel fine" William replied

"Okay, good" Schwartz said "I can see if I can get you discharged today so you can get back to school tomorrow"

"Great, thank you" Oliver said to the doctor, who smiled before walking out of the room

"By the way, did you keep my hoodie?" William asked his parents

"Yeah, it's right over there" Oliver said, but tried to hint at the giant hole that was in it

"There's something in the right pocket. Can you bring that to me?" William asked

Oliver nodded and walked over to the small table where William's hoodie and backpack were. He fumbled around with the sweater before pulling out a folded up flyer that was in the pocket.

"Is this it?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, that's it" William said as he took the paper and unfolded it

Oliver looked down and saw that the flyer had the title 'Treasured Waves' printed on the front. He could tell it was a play based on all the small writing and pictures below the title. Right in the middle of the flyer was the date 'December 3rd, 2018' for auditions

"I saw this on the community board yesterday when I was leaving school" William explained "And I kinda wanted to audition"

"You want to be in the school play?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, I mean, it's been something on my bucket list and this actually looks like a lot of fun so do you think I could give it a shot?"

"William, why are you even asking" Oliver smiled "Of course you can audition! You have no idea how amazing that would be"

"Even if I get the part of being crew member number eight?" William asked

"You could be posing as a tree and I'd still think you did the best out of everyone else"

"Great, so I guess I'll be auditioning!" William said "Maybe Zoe will want to do it with me"

"Well you should send her a text" Oliver said as he passed William his phone "She's been sending texts all night trying to check up on you"

"R-Really?" William asked while trying to hide his smile, but both his parents could tell just what he was thinking

"Yeah, she should be in school right now but I think a text back would go a long way" Oliver said "I need to go sign the discharge papers. I'll be right back"

Oliver walked out of the room, leaving William and Nyssa together. While William sent a picture of the flyer to Zoe, Nyssa walked over to the small table and started gathering the few belongings the family had in the room. A couple minutes passed before Oliver came back into the room

"Alright, everything's done! We're free to go home whenever you're ready" Oliver said

"I'll just get changed before we go" William replied "This hospital gown is not very flattering"

"No, it really isn't" Oliver laughed as he passed William a change of clothes "Hope I got a good set"

"Yeah, these are good" William said as he took the clothes "Thanks!"

-(=+=)-

"So since you and Mom have places to be today, can I go back to school?" William asked from the back seat of the car

"You want to go back to school after all of that?" Nyssa asked, a bit shocked

"Yeah, I mean, there's not much to do at home besides sit around. It's only around ten in the morning so I could still get to school before third period ends" William replied "And I kind of want to see my friends again"

"Alright, if that's what you want to do we can take you to school" Oliver said "But if for any reason you feel pain or you want to go home, do not hesitate to call"

"Okay, deal" William replied

At the next stop light, Oliver took a left instead of going straight, which would put them on the path of the high school that William attended. Around five minutes passed before Oliver pulled up in a spot near the front of the large high school. It was quite a sight. The building was built in the last four years so the whole place looked modern and well kept, the landscape looked perfect, and the large windows on the first and second stories made the whole place seem rather inviting. Behind the school, there were some large sports fields with the school's signature logo of a maroon and gold mustang (A/N: The horse, not the car!) in the middle.

"I can take William-" Oliver started, but then his phone started to ring "It's Quentin"

"You take the call and I'll take William in" Nyssa said

"Yeah, Mom can take me in" William said "Bye Dad!"

"Bye buddy" Oliver called as William and Nyssa both got out of the car

Nyssa and William both walked through the parking lot and towards the main entrance of the school. When they stepped inside the building, the two ladies at the front desk looked surprised to see William.

"Hey William. We weren't expecting to see you back so soon" The first lady said, whose name was Charlotte, as told by her name tag "Your absence would be excused after seeing what happened"

"I'm fine, really" William said "I wanted to come back anyway"

"I see then" Charlotte said as she started writing up a late slip for the freshman "This must be your mother?"

"Yeah, she is" William replied

"Charlotte Heidi, nice to meet you" Charlotte said as she extended her hand towards Nyssa "Pleasure to meet you"

"Nyssa Queen, and the pleasure is mine" Nyssa replied

"Alright William, you're all set! Third period ends in fifteen minutes so you could probably get any homework from that class before it ends" Charlotte said

"Okay, thank you" William said as he took the late slip "Bye Mom!"

"Bye buddy!" Nyssa called as William walked off into the school

"Is he alright?" Charlotte asked when William was gone "With everything that happened, I didn't expect to see him acting so…normal"

"My husband and I were able to explain everything that happened to him and he understands it all. He assured us he was fine and he's never lied before, so when he requested to come back to school, we thought it would be best to just let him" Nyssa replied

"Quite a unique city we have here. I can't believe there are some psychos that would kidnap a child!" Charlotte said "If you'd like, I can call if there's any noticeable change in his attitude or anything like that"

"That would be great, thank you" Nyssa said "I need to get going. My husband shouldn't run later than he already is"

"Completely understandable, have a nice day!" Charlotte replied

"You as well"

Nyssa turned around and walked back outside the school. She walked up to the side of the car and when she got inside, she saw that Oliver had already finished the call with Quentin

"Everything go alright in there?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, William was able to get back into his classes" Nyssa replied "Is everything alright with Quentin?"

"Yeah, he just wanted to see if I was coming in today" Oliver replied "Which I am, but are you coming?"

"I still owe Tarren an explanation from last night so yeah, I'll go see him today"

"Are you planning on telling him everything?"

"Everything as in your alias?" Nyssa questioned "Do you want me to tell him?"

"This is a surprise for me as well, but I think it would be helpful for both the security detail and me if Tarren knew that I was capable of handling myself. Besides, if he knows your identity, then there isn't a reason why he can't know mine"

"Okay then, I can address that with him"

-(=+=)-

"Are you nervous?" Oliver asked as he and Nyssa walked towards the elevator "About Tarren?"

"I guess, but it's more about how I can explain all of this to him without him flipping out or getting confused" Nyssa replied

"Just start from the beginning and go from there. I find that that's the easiest way to do things"

"Okay, I'll do that" Nyssa said

The couple stepped into one of the elevators and Oliver pressed the button for the fourteenth floor while Nyssa pressed the button for the second floor. Even though they were on the main floor of city hall, there were technically on the fifth floor since the security department had the four floors below them. The elevator started to move down and the number above the doors slowly decreased. When the elevator came to a stop, Oliver turned towards Nyssa and gave her a quick kiss

"Good luck" Oliver said as the doors opened

"Thank you beloved" Nyssa smiled as she walked off the elevator

Nyssa walked into the sectioned off room of the security department and pulled out her ID card from when she was still part of the detail. For some reason, Tarren had let her keep it so it came in handy for situations like this.

Nyssa slid the card into the scanner and in the next second, the doors beside her clicked. She opened one of them and walked into a room bustling with people, all filling different rolls of the detail. Several of them greeted Nyssa as she walked towards Tarren's office, which was off to the side. The door was open, but Tarren looking like he was concentrating when Nyssa approached, so she gave a light knock on the door frame before walking inside

"Hey, nice to see you" Tarren said as he picked his head up "What are you doing here?"

"I believe I owe you an explanation about a certain topic" Nyssa said

"Shut the door" Tarren said

Nyssa shut the door and walked up in front of Tarren's desk and sat down in one of the chairs.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"I don't know" Tarren confessed "I was just confused last night and I don't even know where to start asking questions so can you start from the beginning?"

"Gladly"

-(=+=)-

"And that brings us to the present" Nyssa said after two hours of explaining

"Wow, that was…a lot" Tarren said as he leaned back in his chair "Let me get this straight, just to make sure I understand. You grew up in Northern Nepal, where you were part of a group called the League of Assassins and you were trained to become the heir, which was your father's replacement as the leader of the league. You rescued a girl, Sara, off Lian Yu, where Oliver was stranded, and she was part of the league for the next four years. You helped out in the siege, your father was behind the bioweapon attack and you were forced to marry the Green Arrow at that time, you were forced to live under Malcolm Merlyn's rule even when he was thought to be dead, then you disbanded the league after the Green Arrow fought Malcolm to give you control of the league"

"So far so good" Nyssa said in admiration

"You traveled around the world and eventually came back here after Laurel Lance's death, then around a year later, you came back again to help the Green Arrow rescue his friends from Lian Yu and Adrian Chase. After the island experience, you went back to Nanda Parbat to continue training two teenagers the league took in and work with your not so dead father. You three returned to Star City, ended up getting pulled into the Green Arrow's crusade, and while you were still working with him, you established an entirely new league from nine ancient swords, each with a different power"

"Hard to believe, I know"

"So while you were 'dead' you were really traveling around the world collecting swords and after a month of being dead, you returned here but on accident, the Green Arrow discovered your identity. He tried to get you to stay, but you left for another two months and only returned to help him defeat second HIVE, which is who I remember you told us about as Nyssa, not the vigilante"

"Yeah, I have some friends who helped me alter time a bit so you and everyone at the gala wouldn't remember it was me who fought Noah, but rather, the vigilante" Nyssa said

"But why did you do that and not just tell me?"

"It was incredibly dangerous for you to know, and I was going to be helping out on the streets with the Green Arrow so I didn't want you to know my identity because I didn't know if I could trust you back then"

"But you do know, which is why you're telling me" Tarren asked, receiving a nod from Nyssa "Wow, thank you…I guess. That was the explanation I was looking for"

"And you will keep my secret?"

"Yeah, of course. I can understand why you wouldn't want a lot of people to know, for obvious reasons" Tarren said with a small laugh

"Good, because there is something else I need to tell you"

"Really? What about"

"The Green Arrow" Nyssa started, grabbing Tarren's attention "He's asked me to reveal his identity to you because like me, he also trusts you"

"I-I…Wow…um, okay then" Tarren started "Who is he?"

"My husband, Oliver, is the Green Arrow"

"W-W-What…." Tarren stammered with pure shock written all over his face "Oliver's the…he's the vigilante?!"

"Yeah"

"Wow, everything makes so much more sense now…"

"You will keep his secret as well?"

"You've already trusted me with yours so it would be pretty douchey of me to go and reveal his secret" Tarren replied "Is that why he doesn't like having the detail near him at public events?"

"Yeah, he gets pretty annoyed when he has to try and justify his reasons for having less security, even though he is a constant target"

"I will keep that in mind next time I assign teams to guard him. No need to protect the mayor when he's a vigilante, right?" Tarren chuckled "Man, never thought in my years of being in Star City that I'd ever get involved in things like this"

"I've just learn to prepare for the unexpected, especially here" Nyssa said casually

"Well is a drink unexpected?" Tarren said as he pulled out a bottle of scotch from his desk

"You keep a bottle of scotch in your desk?" Nyssa questioned as Tarren grabbed to glasses and poured some in each

"Yeah, but I don't actually drink from it very often. Last time I had a drink of this was the morning of your 'death'. Not a fun morning"

"Sorry about that, but it was really last minute" Nyssa said with a small laugh

"As I can imagine, but now I get to enjoy this with a friend so I'll toast to that" Tarren said as he raised his glass

"And I as well" Nyssa said as they both tapped their glasses together "Are you even allowed to be having a drink while you're working?"

"I'm the director. What's the worst someone could do to me?" Tarren laughed as he took a drink "Especially since I do such a good job with this whole thing"

"I bet Christopher is proud"

"That he is" Tarren smiled

-(=+=)-

Lenora fumbled through her half of the closet, trying to find her favorite hoodie since the apartment wasn't the warmest it could be. She was still fumbling through the clothes when Jacob came sliding into the room

"Lele, we have to go!" Jacob said as he pulled his jacket off a hanger

"Why? What's going on?" Lenora asked

"My brother!"

"What about him?"

"He caught an earlier flight into the city and he's going to be landing in forty five minutes! My mom just called me to let me know!"

"He wasn't supposed to be here for another two days!"

"I know, which is why we've got to get moving!" Jacob said as he started walking out of the bedroom "Wait, what should I wear?!"

"Huh?"

"I'm seeing my brother after almost four years! I have to make this right and I don't think I'm wearing something nice looking"

"Just change your pants and shirt since they're a bit wrinkled" Lenora said as she grabbed a different set of clothes so she could get changed too

"Shoot! I need to shave too and maybe take a shower!" Jacob said as he started running around

"Jacob!" Lenora said as she finally grabbed her husband's shoulders "You're going to be fine! You look great and you took a shower this morning. You have nothing to worry about so just calm down, get changed, and we can head to the airport"

"You're right, you're right" Jacob sighed "Thanks"

"No problem" Lenora said before giving him a quick kiss "But seriously, if you want to make a good impression, you should change out of those pants. They are wrinkled beyond belief"

"Okay, I'll go do that"

-(=+=)-

"This is the right terminal, right?" Jacob asked from where he was standing next to Lenora and his parents

"Yes Jacob, this is the right terminal" Scott reassured

"Are you still nervous?" Lenora whispered when she noticed Jacob fidgeting with his pockets

"You can tell?" Jacob whispered back

"I'm your wife, of course I can tell" Lenora said with a smile "But like I said, he's your brother and you have nothing to worry about"

"Let's just hope you're right" Jacob said as he turned his head back towards the doorway where his brother would walk through

A minute later, passengers from the flight that departed Washington D.C started walking into the boarding area, but headed in the direction of the baggage claim while others met up with loved ones. Jacob waited impatiently as more and more people walked into the terminal, but he didn't see his brother. Then he heard it. Loud, powerful footsteps that seemed take authority just by the fear of their presence. A man, around six feet and two inches tall, walked off the hallway from the plane. His tall and muscular figure was paired with a black marine uniform trimmed with red and several medals on the left side. He wore a white belt, dark blue pants, and a white hat with the Marine Corps eagle globe and anchor, which covered his shaved head. His dark eyes were a dead giveaway for who this man really was to Jacob

As the man came into view, several people turned their attention to the important man. While he walked, some people in the crowd started clapping and soon, the entire terminal joined in in welcoming the soldier home. The marine shook several people's hands as they thanked him for his service, but he thanked them for the opportunity to serve them. He shook the last person's hand, then turned towards Jacob, Scott, Amelia, and Lenora and smiled.

"My little baby brother" The man smiled as he walked up towards Jacob

Jacob smiled widely as he walked towards his brother and got pulled into a hug. Jacob's parents and Lenora both smiled at seeing the reunion between the two brothers

"It's really good to see you again" Jacob said as he pulled away from the hug

"And it's been forever since I last saw you. Four years if I can recall" The marine replied, then turned to his parents and hugged each of them "It's so good to see you again"

"You have no idea how much we've missed you" Amelia said as she hugged her son

"And you must be Lenora" The marine said as he looked towards the blonde

"Right, Lenora" Jacob said as he stepped to his brother's side "This is Connor, my older brother and Master Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corps"

"It's an honor to meet you" Lenora said as she extended her hand towards Connor, admiring his high title in the process

"Likewise" Connor said as he shook it, then smiled "Strong grip you have there, just like Jacob"

"He's rubbed off on me over the past few years" Lenora replied

"Then it looks like we have a lot to catch up on" Scott concluded "Why don't we go to the barrage claim, then back to the house. There are some old friends that are eager to see you again"

"I can't wait" Connor said as he picked up his bag from the ground

Amelia and Scott led the way to the baggage claim while Connor walked with Jacob and Lenora. While the two brothers talked, Lenora couldn't help but have a feeling of victory in the whole situation. What could Jacob possibly have to worry about? He and Connor seemed to get along really well and now it would be interesting to see how the next few months would play out


	31. Oh Brother Of Mine

The completed Patterson family along with Lenora all rode in a large car through the bustling city streets a little past five thirty in the evening. While Scott drove the car, Connor sat in the front while Amelia, Jacob, and Lenora all sat in the back.

"So where are we going to eat?" Connor asked as they drove along "I haven't been here in a while and I don't know what's good these days"

"Well Jacob and Lenora found a steakhouse that they insisted we try so we thought we'd go there" Amelia replied

"Oh how I missed Star City steak" Connor said with a slight lick of his lips

"Don't worry Connor, you'll like this place" Jacob reassured

"I don't know Corn Cob" Connor started, making Lenora snicker slightly. She loved that nickname "We have had very different taste in the past"

"Yeah but you've always been a meat person" Jacob stated

"True, I do enjoy a good piece of meat every now and then" Connor admitted

Within the next few minutes, the car came to a stop outside a steakhouse that was rather popular in the city. It had been established less than a year ago so Jacob was certain that Connor would have never had their steak before.

Since they had stopped at home before coming to the restaurant, Connor had been able to change out of his uniform and into some more casual clothing, revealing his ivy league haircut that was similar to Jacob's but the sides of his head were shaved down into a gradient so he could wear his uniform correctly. He liked wearing his uniform, but not because it drew attention to him but because it made him feel important and like he could make a difference; however, a steakhouse wasn't the place to wear it.

Scott opened up the door and the party of five walked inside. It was a beautiful restaurant with just the right balance between elegance and casual. There were several groups of people waiting to get a table, but when Scott walked up, they were able to get a table rather quickly since they had made reservations, just in case.

One of the waiters led them all to a circular table meant to seat five. Each person sat down at the table and was handed a menu. Jacob and Lenora had been there several times before and already knew what they wanted, but Connor opened up the menu and read down it with a hungry look in his eyes

"Like what you see Connor?" Jacob asked

"It's going to be hard to pick just one" Connor replied, not moving his glance towards Jacob

"Try the house special. Those are usually pretty good" Jacob stated

"Ooh, I think I will end up getting that"

"Can I start by getting you all some drinks?" A waitress dressed in a white dress top and black skirt asked as she walked up to the table

"Just waters for now" Scott replied, then turned to Connor as the waitress walked away "I hope you weren't expecting some alcohol"

"Not at all, at least, not around Corn Cob" Connor replied

"Seriously? That name stuck around?" Jacob asked with a slight growl

"It will always stick around" Lenora reassured

"So when we were on a call, you never said anything about the time you were…away. If you're willing, would you mind elaborating on it?" Connor asked

"You want to know what happened? Here?" Jacob asked nervously, but hid it rather well

""If you're alright with it that is"

"Um, okay…" Jacob started "My death and Lenora's were faked and we were taken to some place out of the country. While we were being held, we both picked up a couple fighting techniques and when we were good enough, we figured out a way to bust out and get back to the states"

"But do you know who took your or why?"

"Neither"

"I see" Connor said

Lenora understood why Jacob lied about how they were taken and thankfully, Jacob's parents didn't try to correct him. Connor seemed to push it to the side a bit, but after they ordered, he brought it up again

"So…what kind of fighting techniques did you learn? Anything specific?"

"Just a couple things like blocks, some pressure points, and other basic offensive moves" Jacob replied

"Hmm, maybe we could train tomorrow. I could teach you what I know and maybe we could go to the range. It's no fun when you're shooting alone when you could be shooting with your little brother"

"Yeah, that sounds fun" Jacob said, but Lenora could tell that he didn't really like the idea

"Alright, and maybe in the future, you'll end up in the corps with me. Brothers on the field together, that would be something to look forward to"

"Umm….yeah. It's always an option" Jacob said

"So Connor" Amelia started "I know with everything going on in the corps right now, you've been pretty busy. Are you here just on time off, are you here for good, or are you here to finish some task?"

"Well after my superiors heard about Jacob not being dead and back in the city, then allowed me around four to five months to come back to my family. That was last year and I only get to come back now because we were just starting a very confidential project that couldn't risk being exposed" Connor started "As for side tasks, the only request I was given was to keep an eye out for those vigilante groups. They've become a national problem for security and if they continue working as they please, then the damage will continue to get worse. I was told to arrest any of them if I come into their midst"

"I see, so you've been tasked with something rather important" Scott said

Lenora was finally starting to piece together certain parts of the puzzle and that's when she finally realized what was going on. She slyly reached into her pocket and took her phone out. While she was still looking up at everyone at the table, Lenora was able to make her phone ping like a message had just come through.

"Hey Jacob, can I talk to you for a sec?" Lenora asked casually after looking at the 'message' "It's Nyssa"

"Oh, yeah. Sure" Jacob said as he got up "We'll be right back"

Lenora pulled Jacob out of the main dining area and into a secluded hallway where she was certain no one would be able to hear them. When they were alone, she put her phone back into her pocket and looked at her husband with a stern tone

"You haven't told him" Lenora said finally "You failed to mention to him everything about where we've been for the last three years and what we're helping with at night!"

"I wanted to tell him in person so I could explain everything properly, plus, doing it over a computer program was risking, especially with all the hacking that's been going on" Jacob started "I never expected him to be on the side of anti-vigilante. He's always been one for justice but I guess joining the marines has narrowed his views"

"So are you going to tell him?"

"Eventually he'll figure it out but if I'm going to tell him, it's going to be at a time where everything's going well in the city, preferably after the team does something remarkable to save it"

"But you realize that if he doesn't see thing your way, he'll arrest you, me and maybe some other members of the team!"

"He wouldn't arrest me. I'm his brother and you're my wife. I bet with some reasonable explanation, everything would become clear between the both of us and who knows, maybe he could become an ally for the team"

"If only" Lenora started "But having a marine on the team just seems too good to be true"

"Hey, we have Dig who's a retired army vet and Katara, who was a retired commander from the cyber command. I don't think it's that far out there to get master gunnery sergeant on the team"

"Okay, if that's what you believe, I trust you" Lenora started "But if this even starts to go south just in the slightest bit, we're pulling out. Who knows, maybe Katara would be able to pull some strings in case we do get arrested"

"Don't start thinking like that. Connor wouldn't arrest us even if given the chance"

"You think?"

"I know it. Although he's a big tough marine, he's still reasonable and has a soft spot for his family"

"Okay then, I trust you"

"Great. Let's get back to the table before they start asking questions"

Jacob and Lenora both stepped out from their little hiding spot and when they came back to the table, they found that the food had already been served and that the family was just starting to eat.

"Everything alright with Nyssa?" Amelia asked

"Yeah, she was just asking if we can watch William for a bit on Friday night" Lenora replied

"Wait, as in Nyssa Queen and the mayor's son?" Connor asked

"Looks like you have been keeping up with city politics" Scott observed

"Yes, but how did you two get involved with the mayor and his family?" Connor asked

"We've just been in the right place at the right time and from there, it's just grown into a friendship" Jacob said

"Ah, well they seem like good friends to have" Connor said

"That they are" Jacob said

-(=+=)-

"Hey Nys, can you get the-" Oliver started, but was stopped when he saw Nyssa handing him the salt shaker from his right "Thank you"

"You are most welcome" Nyssa said as she went back to what she was doing to help make the dinner

"Have you been getting calls from Elena recently?"

"Very few. Apparently she's been getting on Andrew's case and I received a call from him earlier today. It sounded like he just needed to get some things off his chest"

"Wouldn't want to say those things he's thinking while he's near his pregnant wife"

"Yes, but in about a week, they should be able to tell the genders so Elena's been pestering Andrew, Zayn, and even Ishaq about names"

"And you escaped?"

"She mistook William as an escape goat so I'm free for about two more days, at least, that's my guess"

"Well that's better than her calling right-" Oliver started, but Nyssa's phone buzzed from the counter

"I swear to god if that's her…." Nyssa groaned as she walked over and looked at the screen "Huh, not Elena this time. Lenora's letting us know that Jacob's brother got into town earlier this evening. They just got home from dinner and apparently there's something important about him that she needs to tell the entire team as soon as possible"

"So after dinner, do you want to go or should I?"

"I can just run there real fast since we don't have our shift on patrol tonight, and then fill you in on the details" Nyssa started "Unless you want to go"

"Well, I have something I left in the bunker and William was hoping to get in a little extra training if he finished his homework before dinner"

"So we're all going?"

"Sure, a little family outing at the bunker. Totally normal"

"We're never going to be a normal family. It's just become a known fact" Nyssa smiled before snaking her arms around Oliver's waist and resting her chin on his shoulder "Your cooking always smells so good"

"Is it better than yours?" Oliver smirked

"Yeah, but I'm getting better. Compared to three years ago, I'm doing fantastic"

"What did you do three years ago?"

"All I'll say is rest in peace small kitchen"

"You blew something up, didn't you?" Oliver laughed

"No! It wasn't me that blew the place up! I was just trying to cook some rice when these gang members broke in and started to open fire! I thought I was safe but then again, it was a pretty run down area of Turkey that I was visiting and there was a little bit of a gang problem at the time"

"And the kitchen blew up how?"

"One of them shot the gas line and set the entire room ablaze, then as a ran out of the house, the place exploded"

"So it wasn't just the kitchen"

"It started in the kitchen and spread, but technically, it wasn't my fault!"

"Uh huh, but where does the rice come into play?" Oliver smirked "You said it was your cooking that created the result of an explosion so now I'm asking, was the rice on fire when the gas line blew?"

"Yeah, I accidentally walked away and when the fight first broke out, the pan caught on fire and you know the rest"

"Okay, so it was mostly your fault, but the gang members had something to do with it"

"That's it, but like I said, huge improvement since then!"

"Yeah, you're not burning down kitchens" Oliver laughed "But like the cooking, your dancing is improving too"

"Nope! Not again!" Nyssa said as she moved away from the embrace "I'm not doing that ever again and it's best if Katara and Lenora keep that little activity to themselves! Besides, trying to moonwalk ONCE doesn't count as dancing!"

"Suuuure" Oliver winked

"Okay, I finished my homework!" William announced as he walked into the kitchen "Ooh, is there a stir fry for dinner tonight?"

"You guessed it!" Oliver replied "But did you study for that history test on Friday?"

"Yeah, I got that done but I'll review a little before going to bed" William said

"That's my boy!" Oliver said proudly "And yes, we'll be going to the bunker after dinner to practice for a bit"

"Cool! Maybe Zoe will be there" William said happily

"I don't think he'd want Zoe down in the bunker that late and when patrol starts. It can get pretty crazy" Nyssa said "By the way, you know what really gets crazy that we haven't even talk about yet?"

"What's that?" Oliver asked

"Thanksgiving"

"That's next week, isn't it?"

"Yes it is beloved"

"You forgot about thanksgiving? Really Dad?" William smirked

"Sorry, it doesn't have a definite date so it gets pretty confusing sometimes" Oliver admitted "Umm, I was just planning on inviting the usual; Thea, Quentin, Rene and Zoe if they'd like, Curtis too since he doesn't have any family in the city"

"Sounds good to me! They're all fun to have around, and wait until we get to show off the house and the yard!" William said excitedly "So are we building a pool this summer?"

"I don't know, but your father really wants one" Nyssa said "You should start planning it out. Make something like a sketch of what you want the land to look like"

"That would be a fun little project" Oliver said

"Ooh, can I give it a shot?" William asked

"Of course you can buddy" Oliver replied "But remember, measurements and budget are key"

"Okay, what are the measurements and what's the budget?"

"Unknown at the moment and undecided, also at the moment" Oliver replied as he started dishing up the food

"Well when we do decided to add in the pool, we should make a time lapse so we can put it all together at the end to make one giant montage!" William said "We're actually learning about video montages in Tech class so I can put my skills to the test this summer"

"Sounds like a good way to test out what he's learned" Nyssa said

"That is, if we end up building the pool" Oliver started "But anyway, I need to know what both of you think of this"

Oliver slid two bowls over to William and Nyssa from across the counter. Both of them picked up a fork that was lying on the counter and took a bite

"Needs more salt" William concluded as he jumped up from his seat to get the salt shaker

"Really? I think it needs less salt" Nyssa said

"Well this is going to be interesting" Oliver smiled as he took a bite himself "I think it needs just a bit more salt. Sorry Nys"

"No, no, you're fine" She urged

"I swear salt is magical" William said as he took a bite, his facial expression suggesting that he was in pure bliss

-(=+=)-

"So we're all going to this weekend?" Dig asked from where he stood with Katara, Rene, and Zoe

"Yeah, Zoe needs to work a little more with the 22 before I move her up to a glock" Rene said

"But I'm doing a lot better, right?" Zoe questioned

"Yes, you are improving" Rene smiled

"I'm going to see if we can get a babysitter for JJ and Little Sara because I know Lyla would like to practice too" Dig said

"And if it's alright, I'll get my husband in on this too" Katara said

"Come to think of it, we've never met him" Rene said "You don't really talk about him"

"Isn't he Ex-Military too?" Dig asked

"Yeah, but Asher's still actively serving, but he's in state at a base in this general area" Katara replied "He's been looking to go out and get some practice in and this seems like a good opportunity"

"Alright then! Looks like we're all going shooting tomorrow!" Dig said "I'm bringing an AR-15"

"Bring the Saint and I'll bring the SR-762" Katara said

"What are you guys planning?" A voice asked from a side entrance

Dig, Katara, Rene, and Zoe all looked over and saw the Queen family walking into the bunker. Zoe immediately walked over to William with a smile on her face while the adults all met up

"We were planning on coming in here for training but then Lenora sent the text about needing to meet" Oliver said

"Yeah, this is kind of important" Lenora said as she walked into the bunker with Jacob next to her "So where are the other team members because I know Jacob will only want to explain this once so there's no confusion in the future"

"We're right here!" Dinah said as she, Curtis and Thea all walked into the room "Sorry, we were playing poker downstairs"

"Okay, well now we've got work to do" Oliver said before looking over towards Jacob "So what's going on with your brother"

"So you all know I have an older brother; Connor. After we were taken into the league and thought to be dead, he joined the marines and moved up the ranks rather quickly. He just returned from D.C after almost a year of confidential work since he was finally able to come home and he'll be here for the next five months"

"That's fantastic! You finally get to see your badass brother" Curtis said happily

"Except he's not here strictly on vacation" Lenora added in

"My brother had specific instructions to arrest any vigilantes he comes across while in the city, before they cause a national or international incident" Jacob said

"Which means you haven't told him that you're one of the vigilantes" Oliver said with a small sigh "Or what really happened to you two while you were away"

"Yeah…so we're going to have to do this strategically" Nyssa said "For rotations on patrol, you two have tonight and Friday, right?"

"Connor wanted to get some sleep tonight after traveling all day and my parents already know that I'm part of the vigilante gang so I was able to get out without a problem" Jacob said

"So did your parents mention anything or are they wanting to?" Dig asked

"No, they have the same opinion as I do; tell Connor when the time is right like after we just saved the city from something, then he'll have a better understanding of what we do" Jacob replied

"Are you two just going to keep Connor in the dark until we save the city again?" Rene asked

"That was the plan" Lenora replied

"Oooh, I believe you'll want to rethink that" Katara said, making everyone look at her "What was his rank? Master Gunnery Sergeant?"

"Yeah, Master Gunnery Sergeant Connor Everett Patterson. Does it ring any bells or something?" Jacob asked

"No, I've never heard of him, but if he got up to that rank in four years, then that means he's pretty damn smart and he worked his ass off to get there. I don't think you'll be able to keep something as large as this hidden from him for long" Katara replied bluntly

"Then I guess we should start buttering up what the team does so he can figure it out when the city is at a stable point" Jacob said "Anyway, I believe Lenora, Thea, Curtis and I are supposed to be going out on patrol tonight. We should get going to scope anything out"

"Good idea" Oliver said before turning towards Thea "Your first night back out on the field as Speedy. How are you feeling?"

"Excited beyond belief" Thea giggled "I didn't know how much I missed it until a few nights ago so thank you for that"

"No problem, now go get out there and kick some ass like a Queen!"

"You know I will Ollie!" Thea laughed as she walked off to get changed

"Hey William, why don't you, me, Zoe, Rene, and Mom all train for a bit?" Oliver asked

"We should definitely do that!" William said "Can someone teach me how to do something that involves juggling the two halves to my bo staff? Please?"

"We'll have to see" Oliver smiled

"Does he even know how to catch both sides at the same time?" Nyssa whispered as they walked over to a mat

"I'm not sure, but we'll find out, won't we?" Oliver asked with a slight smirk

-(=+=)-

"We're all clear on the north. Nothing happening up here" Lenora said over her coms from where she stood on top of a roof top with Thea

"Same with the south. Nothing's really going on down here" Curtis said

"And you four already scanned the city for things happening in the east and west, but you should all gravitate towards the main part of the city. Something might be going on there that the SCPD's not covering" Katara said

Lenora, Jacob, Curtis, and Thea all acknowledged the direction and started moving towards the main part of the city. As they went on, Lenora and Thea had some little competitions to get across the city faster and they were enjoying themselves to say the least. Jacob and Curtis were just having a conversation over the coms as they quickly walked through alleys and dark passes in the city. The two groups were around ten minutes out from their final destination when Katara spoke up from the coms

"Hey team, there's a robbery going on" Katara said

"Where's it at?" Thea asked

"It's actually pretty close to the bunker. To avoid the scumbags getting away, start heading there but we'll send Oliver and Nyssa to get a head start" Katara replied

"Alright, we're heading there now" Jacob said

-(=+=)-

"Hey Oliver! Nyssa!" Katara called from the platform over the sound of escrima sticks smacking against each other

"What's going on?" Oliver asked when the smacking ceased

"There's a robbery going on just three blocks away. The team is already heading out there but we need you two to get a head start so the robbers don't get away"

"Okay then, we'll take the motorcycle" Oliver said as he and Nyssa ran off to get changed

"Hey Zoe" William snickered as he motioned for her to come over

Zoe smirked and walked over to William, who was staring at the screen of his phone. Her eyes lit up when she saw what was displayed on the screen and tried really hard not to laugh

"Do you think we should do it?" William asked

"It would be stupid to give up the opportunity" Zoe replied while she covered her mouth with her hand to hide her very large smile that would have blown their cover

While Rene was talking with Dinah, William and Zoe walked up to the platform where Katara was looking over security footage from the break in

"Hey Katara, can I ask you for a favor?" William asked while rocking back and forth on his heels

"I suppose you could" Katara said "What do you need?"

"Okay, as soon as my parents are out of the bunker and the coms are activated, I need you to play this over their private channels" William said while showing the hacker his phone screen

"You know you're digging your grave with this, right?" Katara smirked

"Yeah, and if they end up getting mad, then I'll take the blame but they're both in a very good mood so I think this would end up being pretty funny. Besides, I've wanted to do it for a while but I was never presented with the opportunity"

"Got it. I'll get this hooked up. Just hang up here and you can hear their reactions"

"We've got the coms on so we're heading out" Oliver said as he pulled his hood up while walking towards the garage, Nyssa following behind him

"Good luck out there Dad! You too Mom!" William called as they walked out of the main room "Now let the fun unfold"

Zoe and William watched the computer screen displaying live security camera footage from the garage as Oliver and Nyssa both climbed on the motorcycle. With a small roar of the engine, Oliver took off and into the night. As soon as he was around a quarter mile away from the bunker, Katara synced William's phone with the coms and gave him a thumbs up. As soon as he was given the signal, William hit the play button and waited.

"I'll get in first, then you jump in from the back and we'll get them all pinned down for the cops from there, and if-" Nyssa started over the com, but was stopped when some song started playing over her voice

 _"_ _They see me rollin'. They hatin', patrollin', and tryin' a catch me ridin' dirty"_ A song played over the com

"What the hell?" Oliver questioned

 _"_ _Tryin' a catch me ridin' dirty. Tryin' a catch me ridin' dirty"_

"What is going on?" Nyssa questioned

"This is amazing!" William laughed, so loudly that his parents could hear

 _"_ _Tryin' a catch me ridin' dirty_ _. Tryin' a catch me ridin' dirty_ _"_

"William!" Oliver laughed "What are you doing?"

"It was perfect and I've wanted to do this for over a month but never had the chance!" William replied

 _"_ _My music so loud . I'm swangin'. They hopin' that they gone catch me ridin' dirty"_

Katara took it up one step further and pulled up the street camera footage of the vigilantes zipping by through the streets while the song played on their coms and in the bunker. William and Zoe couldn't help but laugh, now having their memory stained by a good vine.

"This is actually kind of catchy, especially the chorus" Katara admitted while moving to the beat from her chair

"I told you! It would make a great dance" Zoe said

"Maybe Lenora and I can work something up, at least, for the chorus since that's the only thing that you can work with in a rap for what we've been doing" Katara replied

"Okay guys, I hate to ruin the fun, but we're coming to the site so you'll want to cut the music" Oliver said

"We'll be playing that for the rest of the week Dad!" William laughed "Good luck out there!"

"Thanks buddy!" Oliver and Nyssa both replied in sync

-(=+=)-

Connor woke up the next morning to the smell of freshly cooked pancakes lingering throughout the entire house. He picked his head up from his pillow and took in the smell of breakfast. Connor glanced over at his clock and saw that it was just a little past eight in the morning. It was definitely later than when he normally work up, so he quickly got up and got changed into jeans and a tee shirt.

When the marine walked into the main living area and kitchen of the house, he saw his little brother and Lenora making breakfast in the kitchen while Scott and Amelia sat at the table talking about business related topics

"How much more batter do you think you'll need?" Lenora asked her husband, who was standing over the stove top, watching as the small rounds of batter sizzled

"Probably one and a half batches will cover it. Can you make that?" He asked before flipping a small cake

"Sure, I can do that"

"What are you guys doing?" Connor asked as he walked up to the counter and leaned over it so he could watch his brother and, in his mind, soon to be sister-in-law

"Jacob's been learning a recipe for pancakes and he wanted to finally perfect it when he added a bit of vanilla and cinnamon in the batter. Cooking it has been the hardest part apparently" Lenora started "Would you like one?"

"Sure, I'll try Corn Cob's cooking" Connor smiled "I'm impressed. I didn't think you would pick up culinary skills while I've been away"

"It's been something on my bucket list as of recently" Jacob replied "So how did you sleep last night?"

"Very well. It nice to be home again" Connor replied "So I was thinking, you and me should go to the shooting range or I can teach you some type of fighting technique just in case you run into trouble"

"That sounds pretty fun" Jacob said "I could definitely use the practice"

Lenora did her best to hide the smile that was tugging at the corner of her mouth when Jacob said this. She had picked up on his sarcastic acting tone over the years and although it was completely hidden to Connor, she could catch it easily

"Well since you two are going to be learning to fight, I can use that time to pick up a few things in the city. I've been putting off that trip for the last week" Lenora said

"If you're going down to the city, can you pick up some bow hair for me? I need to repair mine and I don't have another hair string to replace it with" Jacob spoke up

"Yeah, I can get that. You're still using the P&H models?" Lenora asked

"That's the one" Jacob replied

"Wait, you play violin?" Connor asked, honestly surprised

"Yeah, Lele's been teaching me for around a year now. It's just a small hobby that we've been working on"

"You'll have to perform sometime. I'd love to see you play"

"I'll keep that in mind, but for now, thee pancakes are done"

Jacob set out a large plate filled with freshly cooked pancakes, whose aroma filled the room instantly. The youngest Patterson dished up some of the cakes and set them in front of his parents, then went back to the counter where Lenora and Connor were already getting their portions

"So Lenora, don't you have a brother in the city too?" Connor asked

"Yeah, Trent and my father are out on the business tour in Europe. They should be back by Saturday night if everything goes well" Lenora replied "Were you and Trent ever friends?"

"Not really. I never got the chance to get to know him before I left for the corps. He seems like a nice guy" Connor replied

"Hmm, I'll have to introduce you two then. I know Trent would love to meet you"

"Sounds good to me"

The three of them each finished taking their portion of the breakfast and started to pass around the bottle of oh so loved maple syrup. While Lenora was still pouring hers over her breakfast, Connor cut off a piece of the perfectly cooked pancake and popped it into his mouth

"Oh my gosh Jacob" Connor moaned in delight with his mouth full "These are amaing"

"Thanks" Jacob said proudly while Lenora gave him a little high five behind their backs "I guess we finally got it perfected, didn't we?"

"Yes you did!" Amelia called from the table "Beautiful job Jacob"

"Thanks Mom" Jacob said

"Less talk, more pancakes" Lenora snapped, but in a very playful tone that made a smile break across the youngest Patterson's face

Eventually, the family finished the well prepared breakfast and Lenora was helping Jacob clean the dishes. They were both standing next to each other at the sink, washing some bowls, while Connor put away everything else that was lying on the counter tops

"So which do you want to do first?" Connor asked his brother, who was finishing up the dishes "Shooting or hand to hand?"

"Hand to hand, definitely" Jacob said "I'm not big on guns"

"Well what are you into in terms of weapons? Knives?" Connor asked with a small laugh, making Jacob crack a fake laugh in reply "Knives won't protect you out on the battle field"

"'arju 'an tataghayar (I beg to differ)" Lenora whispered slyly

"Yeah, but still, if you don't have access to a gun, wouldn't you like to have a knife on you just in case?" Jacob asked

"Maybe in some cases, but they're so easy to flip around to be used against you. I'd say they're too unreliable to be considered a decent weapon"

Lenora scoffed, but covered it with a fake cough. Jacob could tell that she wanted to show Connor just how 'unreliable' a knife was, but decided to just stop it before it started

"Okay then, you'll teach me hand to hand combat so in case I do get jumped, I know how to defend myself without a weapon, and since we're done with clean up, why don't we go outside and work on it?" Jacob proposed

"Sounds like a plan to me" Connor said "But I'll have to put you through military style training, just like what I went through in my first three months at the base and for that, I need to get some things. I'll meet you out back"

"Okay! I'll be there in a sec!" Jacob called after his brother, but then turned back to Lenora "Don't worry, I can fake it"

"I sure hope you can, or else we're both screwed" Lenora said as she gave him a small slap on the chest "And it amuses me that he thinks his military training can compare to Nyssa's, so you better be a good actor!"

"Don't worry, I can pull it off, just like we did in Nagoya two years ago"

"Ahh, fond memories in that city" Lenora smiled "Alright, you go have some quality time with your brother while I go get the things in the city"

"What are you even getting?"

"I spilled coffee on one of my dress shirts that I wear when we work and it left a huge stain on the front. I'm short one and just needed to find a simple replacement"

"Okay then, so you should be back in around two hours?"

"Yup! Now get going before Connor comes looking for you"

"Alright, alright! I'm going!" Jacob laughed in surrender as he walked off to find his older brother

-(=+=)-

Lenora walked through the large city square, which was bustling with hundreds of people. She had already picked up the shirt she needed and just needed to find the shop where she and Jacob had been buying things for their violins.

As she walked through the crowds, he shoulders brushed up against several people but none of them seemed to mind, as they were all in a hurry to reach a certain destination or they just didn't really care. Lenora brushed up against one man, but he looked at her straight in the eye with a gruff look on his face.

"Sorry sir" Lenora said politely to the dark bearded, tan skinned man who was dressed in a black coat "I wasn't paying attention"

"Not a problem" He said with a slight Indian accent before the two parted ways

Lenora didn't think much of the encounter and continued walking to find the shop. The man she ran into, however, watched her disappear into the crowd and when he was certain she was gone, he continued walking forward until he was in the very center of the shopping center, where the most people were gathered.

The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a clear vial like capsule that seemed to contain only air. He glanced down at the small vessel, then dropped it on the ground without a second through. The glass on the vial shattered, but didn't make any sound as the pieces flew off to the sides. A couple small fumes of a smoke like gas floated into the air as the man walked away without a second thought. By tonight, the city would be at his organization's mercy


	32. The Approaching Plague

Lenora walked back into the house where Jacob's parents lived and also where Connor was staying. When she first entered, she didn't hear the sounds of talking from inside, so she assumed that Amelia and Scott where out and back at work. Jacob and Connor couldn't be heard either, so Lenora started walking towards the main gathering area of the large home. When she stepped into the family room and kitchen, she had a perfect view of the backyard, where she also saw Jacob and Connor throwing punches at each other. Lenora set her bag down and walked outside so see her husband and brother-in-law

"C'mon Jacob! Keep your arms strong but not locked up!" Connor said while eyeing his brother's stance

"Yeah, yeah, I got it" Jacob said, but then caught a glimpse of Lenora

Jacob turned his head over towards the direction Lenora was approaching from and gave her a smile. She returned it, but her expression changed when she saw Connor about to throw a punch at Jacob. The assassin was able to see his brother's attempted attack much sooner than he would have expected and right when Connor's fist was about to make contact with Jacob's face, he leaned back and Connor's arm went right through the air where he would have been. Jacob was almost in a position where he was lying in midair, but he was able to kick his leg out to the side, making Connor fall down to the ground

"Damn, that was unexpected" Connor said as he got up "Seems like you're catching on"

"Yeah, looks like it" Jacob said, then turned to his wife "How was the plaza?"

"Crowded, loud, and basically a weekend nightmare" Lenora said "But I got the things we needed which means I don't have to go near that place for another…two weeks or so"

"A whole two weeks" Jacob smiled "Sounds good to me, but do you want to join us?"

"Umm-" Lenora, started, but was cut off when he phone started vibrating from her pocket "Huh, I'll be right back"

Jacob nodded as Lenora started walking over to the side after accepting the call. He turned back towards Connor, who was getting a drink of water. When he saw his little brother, Connor threw him a water bottle as well.

"How long have we been out here? Three hours?" Connor asked "I have to say, you're not doing as bad as I thought you would"

"Why wouldn't I be doing okay?" Jacob asked "I played football in high school. Running towards someone hasn't been a problem if that's what you mean"

"Nah, I was talking about becoming a human punching bag. It could have been much worse, trust me"

"You've obviously got no idea what Nyssa put us through" Jacob muttered, but Connor didn't hear

"Hey Jacob!" Lenora called as she came walking back over "That was Kate, she's home with her daughter who's got some kind of cold. She asked if we can step in for her shift tonight"

"Working overtime and getting her tips?" Jacob smirked "Sure, I'm in"

"And it seems my brother's got a work ethic too" Connor said "I'm proud of you Corn Cob. I didn't think you'd be this responsible"

"Well I finally got my priorities straight over the last few years" Jacob said before turning back to Lenora "So I'll meet you back at the house in around two hours?"

"Yeah, I want to go and check on something at the 'park' anyway" Lenora said with a small wink "See you soon!"

"Bye Lele" Jacob said before leaning in for a quick kiss

"You two are….something" Connor said as Lenora walked away "So let's get back to this because you still have a looong way to go"

"That's what you think" Jacob muttered

"What was that?"

"I said time's gone my in a blink! I can't believe we've already been out this long!"

"Right, well let's get started so you don't waste any more of it" Connor said "Take your stance and this time, be sure that you keep your elbows bent and arms positioned at your core so you're….."

-(=+=)-

It was a rather peaceful night at the Queen house. It was a lovely Wednesday night and while William was up in his room finishing his homework, Oliver sat in his office finishing up the day's paperwork that he took home from city hall. While he read down the several files, Nyssa sat on another chair, in a criss cross position, sharpening her sword with a small wooden block. Every four seconds, Oliver would hear the sound of the wood block running up the blade and it made a soothing white noise that he could work to.

"Beloved?" Nyssa asked when she noticed Oliver was a bit distracted

"Yeah?" Oliver asked while picking his head up from his work

"You realize what time it is, don't you?"

"Uhh…." Oliver stammered, but looked over at the clock "A little past six"

"Yes, which means that we haven't put a single thought into dinner tonight" Nyssa started "I don't think my sword can get any sharper so I can go make something"

"Actually, I had a plan in place"

"Do tell"

"That Italian restaurant off Brady"

"You mean La Rosa Delle Olive? The place Lenora and Jacob work at?"

"Yeah, I mean, we've never been there and who knows, it may be really good"

"Hmm, are you asking me out?" Nyssa smiled as she wrapped her arms around Oliver's shoulders from behind

"Yes, but William's coming too" Oliver said as he kissed her hand

"I know, and it's not a bad thing" Nyssa said "Should I go tell William?"

"Yeah, if you could do that, that would be great. I need to just finish off this section and then we can get going"

"Not a problem Beloved" Nyssa said before giving Oliver a quick kiss "Just try not to pick up another file"

"Don't worry, I'll try not to" Oliver chuckled

Nyssa walked out of the office, towards the right, and up the main staircase until she reached the second level of the house. There was a large open area up there and then along the walls was where the rooms were. Nyssa walked towards the left towards William's room and saw that the door was cracked open. She tapped on it twice with her fingers before opening the door.

"Hey buddy" Nyssa said before walking in "I see you're still hard at work"

"Yeah, I have to finish my bio project by Friday and apparently a group member didn't understand their part and only bothered to tell us today" William groaned "I'm really starting to hate working in groups"

"Don't worry, once you find out who you work best with, it will become so much easier" Nyssa assured "Dad and I were talking about dinner plans tonight and he wanted to go out tonight. Are you too busy for Italian?"

"No! Never!" William said as sprung up "Where are we go exactly? Olive Garden?"

"Dad said we should go to that restaurant that Lenora and Jacob work out and give that a shot. I've heard that's its pretty good"

"Yeah, but you heard from those two and they're bias" William smirked

"I guess we'll just have to see for ourselves. We should be leaving within the next ten minutes so finish up whatever you need to and meet us downstairs"

"Okay but can I get dessert?"

"You'll have to ask your father. He's the one with the credit card" Nyssa smirked as she walked out of the room

Nyssa stepped out into the main area of the second level, then walked into her and Oliver's room. She saw her coat draped over a chair over to the side. Underneath her dark coat was Oliver's, so she grabbed that as well before going back downstairs.

"I'm not sure if you need this" Nyssa said as she walked back into the office "But I got it anyway"

"Well I do need it so thank you" Oliver said as he got up and took his coat, but also stole a quick kiss

"You thief" Nyssa laughed

"I try"

Oliver just smirked as he pulled his wife into another kiss, but they had to end it early when they heard William coming down the stairs. The two of them stepped out of the office just in time to see William walking off the last stair

"Hey Dad, can I get dessert?" William asked

"I don't see a reason why not, but remember to choose the best thing on the menu because a wasted dessert is a sin" Oliver reminded

"I know, you've told me a thousand times"

"Yes I do believe you have reminded him of that every single night beloved" Nyssa smiled

"Well I know that when I was William's age, I wish I had someone to tell me that kind of thing" Oliver said while grabbing the keys off a table across from the staircase "Alright, let's get going before they run out of pasta"

"It's an Italian restaurant! I think we'll be fine" William said while laughing at his father's desperate attempts to get to the restaurant

"You never know" Oliver warned with a smirk

-(=+=)-

Oliver, Nyssa, and William all walked into the restaurant and were surprised to see that it had a moderate amount of people; not too many, not too little, but just the perfect amount. Oliver walked up to the podium where two waitresses were standing, but the stopped what they were doing when he approached and smiled

"Hello, how many people do you have?" The blonde one asked

"Three" Oliver replied

"Okay then, right this way" She said

The three Queens followed the blonde waitress over into the dining area and towards a booth near the windows. William and Nyssa both sat next to each other while Oliver sat across from them.

"Alright, Lenora is going to be serving you tonight. She should be with you shortly" The waitress said after passing out the menus

"Dad, you have to see the dessert menu" William said with wide eyes while looking at all the options

"Shouldn't you decide what you're going to eat for a main dish first?" Oliver asked with a small laugh, admiring just how similar he and William were when he was fourteen

"Yeah, yeah, I can get to that later but that cheesecake looks amazing!"

Oliver flipped over to one of the back pages in the menu and looked down the list of desserts that William had been admiring. There were several different things listed from different cakes, pastries, and some other Italian delicacies

"I don't know if I can choose" William said

"Well imagine my surprise to see you guys here" Lenora said as she walked up to the table where her other team mates were "What brings you in here tonight?"

"I wanted to see if you and Jacob were telling the truth about the pasta" Oliver said

"Oh I can assure you we were barely stretching the truth" Lenora smiled "Anyway, I'm supposed to ask you about drinks right now but I can see that William's eyeing the desserts. Hard time deciding?"

"Yeah, very" William replied

"If I were you, I would get the zeppoli. They're like square donuts with powdered sugar over the top and you can dip them in chocolate" Lenora said "Oliver, if you're getting something, you would probably enjoy the apple pastry and Nyssa, you should stick with the tiramisu"

"Wow, thanks" Oliver said "Is that some top secret stuff that the waiters and waitresses talk about?"

"Not really. Me, Jacob, and a couple other of the waiters here all got together one night and sampled all the desserts with a portion of our tips pooled together so I actually have an opinion on them all" Lenora replied "But if you need to stay away from something, stay away from the lemon cake. There's no telling if the proportions of lemon flavor to the rest of the batter are off"

"Good to know" Oliver said

"So drinks! Should I let you in on a little secret there or do you have an idea?" Lenora asked

"I'll just get the pinot noir" Oliver said

"Same as him" Nyssa added

"And a water for me" William spoke up

"Alright, I will be back shortly" Lenora said "Oh, and don't skip over the page with beef and steak options Oliver. There may be a thing or two that you would like"

"Thanks for the input"

"So I asked Zoe about the auditions today" William said after Lenora left

"And how did that turn out?" Oliver asked curiously

"Well there's a male lead and female lead and although neither of us have any background in acting, we both want to audition for the leads since both of them involve some fight scenes!"

"That sounds perfect for you two" Nyssa said "Auditions are on the third, right?"

"Yeah, so we can get some time to prepare and perfect our swashbuckling" William started "Do either of you know swashbuckling"

"You should ask your mother" Oliver said

"I've been on a ship and I've fought a couple modern day pirates but I have no background in swashbuckling" Nyssa replied "But I know someone who might that'd be willing to help you out"

"Really? Who?"

"A certain brother of mine who wants to visit the city within the next two weeks, and maybe for thanksgiving"

"Wait, Uncle Dakota's coming for thanksgiving?!" William asked excitedly "That's going to be awesome!"

"Seems you've taken a liking to him" Oliver observed "What did he do to win your favor?"

"After you and Mom left for your honeymoon, Uncle Dig, Aunt Lyla, Uncle Dakota and I all went to lunch. The place we were planning on going to was right next to an ice cream parlor so instead of getting something 'healthy' we all went and got sundaes for lunch"

"That would definitely explain it" Nyssa smirked "Remind me to knock Dakota upside the head when he comes by next"

"Sure, I can do that" Oliver laughed

"Wait, did I do something?" William asked

"Nah, Dakota's just being Dakota" Nyssa replied

"Hmm, maybe that's saying something" William smirked, but Nyssa and Oliver just both rolled their eyes with small smiles

-(=+=)-

Lenora had just finished getting orders from some of the diners in the restaurant and was now sitting in the back for her ten minutes break. She had only been sitting down for a minute before someone else walked up to her

"Hey Lele" Jacob said as he sat down next to her, but noticed that she was holding her head up with her hand while looking at the ground "Are you alright?"

"Headache" Lenora groaned with annoyance

"Do you think it'll pass?"

"Probably, took some ibuprofen but it's not doing anything"

"Should I ask the boss if you can get an extension?"

"An extra five minutes would be great"

"Okay then, just stay here and don't do anything stupid"

"What makes you think I would?"

"I don't know. You're unpredictable sometimes"

Lenora cracked a small smile as Jacob walked out of the room. He was able to quickly find the manager and explain the situation. Since Lenora was one of his harder workers, he didn't doubt what Jacob was saying so he gave her the extension. He was about to go back to her, but then he saw one of the chefs finish up one of the groups of dishes

"Table 12!" The chef called to the waiters

Jacob knew that table 12 was part of Lenora's tables and since she wasn't really in a good condition to serve food, he walked over and picked up the large black tray and went out to deliver it himself. When Jacob walked out into the dining area, he was surprised to see who was sitting at table 12; the Queens.

"I wasn't expecting to see you guys here" Jacob said as he approached with the tray of food "Are you testing this place out finally?"

"Yeah, thought we should give it a shot" Nyssa replied "Where's Lenora?"

"She's on break with a headache. Probably just allergies or something" Jacob said "Anyway, I got a lasagna"

"Mine!" William called

"Chicken giardino"

"That's me" Nyssa said

"And this braised beef and tortellini must be yours" Jacob said as he slid the last plate towards Oliver "By the way, that's my personal favorite so I think you'll like it as well"

"Thanks for letting me know. Now I won't share any leftovers I have" Oliver teased

"Damn it, shouldn't have said anything" Jacob said "Anyway, I have to get back to actually working. Cya guys around"

"Thanks Jacob" Nyssa said right before he walked away from the table

"Those two seem like good waiters. Did you teach them something in Nanda Parbat?" Oliver asked

"Maybe on accident but I don't recall specifically" Nyssa replied "Maybe it's just a perk of being part of the league; learning good table etiquette"

"Wouldn't that be good to put on the application; 'Join us and learn table manners just in case you decide to leave'"

"Yes, I'm sure that would attract that many more people"

"I should start charging for my 'amazing' ideas" Oliver laughed "We could be living just off my ideas"

"That would only last around two days max" Nyssa said, also laughing "But sure, go ahead and explain to the city board that you want to resign as mayor so you can devote your time to selling your good ideas"

"Is that a challenge"

"God no, don't actually do it"

"Don't worry, I wasn't going to try something like that….anytime soon"

"That's better than right now"

-(=+=)-

Jacob walked back into the area where he had last seen Lenora and was happy to see she was still there.

"Hey, the meds finally working?" Jacob asked as he sat down next to her

"I don't think so" Lenora coughed out "I'll be back out there in like….four minutes"

"Four minutes? If the meds you took still aren't working, then it's going to be a long time before they do. I'll go talk to the boss and see if we can get an early release since the rush has died down"

Lenora only nodded before Jacob went back out to find the boss. Once again, he explained the situation honestly and to his delight, the man understood and allowed both Lenora and Jacob the rest of the night off. Jacob walked back towards the room where Lenora was and this time, he had their things with him

"I talked to the boss. He gave us both the rest of the night off" Jacob said "Here, put this on and then we can go home"

"What about the pasta?" Lenora asked

"What about the what?"

"The pasta. There's still….six bowls that need to be cooked"

"Lele, I don't know what you're talking about but if you mean the dishes, that's the chefs' job to worry about, not ours" Jacob said as he helped her up

"I feel like I want to throw up" Lenora warned as she leaned up against Jacob for a bit of support

"Just do it at home, alright? We can get there rather quickly"

Jacob wrapped one arm around Lenora's shoulders and they both walked out of the back entrance. Their car was parked on the side of the street just outside the back entrance to the restaurant so they only had to walk a couple yards before they got inside. Jacob helped Lenora in first, but then got in the driver's seat and drove back towards their apartment

-(=+=)-

"I have to say, that was actually a lot better than I expected" Oliver said as he and his family walked out of the restaurant "But that dessert was amazing"

"Guess we'll have to ask for Lenora's opinions next time we go there" Nyssa said "She seemed to be really acquainted with the menu"

"Which is why I left a larger tip, but did you see her again after she took the order?"

"I didn't see her" William said

"Jacob said she wasn't feeling all too well so maybe he ended up having to go home with her earlier" Nyssa said

"Yeah, that's always-" Oliver started, but then his and Nyssa's phones started vibrating

"Huh, guess we can't just end tonight on a peaceful note" Nyssa said while reading the alert Katara had just sent out to the team

"Well we should definitely go! I've finished all my homework so I'm fine if you decide to go to the bunker" William said

"So should we?" Oliver asked "I mean, the team did call"

"Why would we leave our team?" Nyssa asked "The answer seems pretty simple to me"

"Okay then, let's get going"

-(=+=)-

Oliver, Nyssa, and William all walked into the bunker and saw that the rest of the team was already gathered while Rene, Curtis, and Dinah were already suited up.

"Hey, glad to see you three could make it" Rene said "Sorry if we interrupted something"

"Nah, we had just finished dinner when you called so it all worked out" Oliver replied "So what's going on?"

"Break in at Kord Industries. It's in the East storehouse, which stores different chemicals and biohazardous material for experiments" Katara said

"Okay, you three are with us tonight" Oliver said as he motioned towards Rene, Curtis, and Dinah

"Awesome, back out on the field" Curtis said as he tossed one of his T-Spheres into the air "I've missed the action"

"You haven't been out in almost four days. You miss it that much?" Dinah questioned

"Well, yeah. I may be that scientist nerd thing in the group but I still like getting out there and experiencing the heat of the fight" Curtis replied

"Fair enough" Rene said

"Hey William" Oliver said as he zipped up his main kevlar jacket "I want you to stay here and help Katara if she needs it"

"Okay, I can do that" William replied

Both Oliver and Nyssa finished getting dressed up in their traditional garbs, then the whole team grabbed their coms and walked out the secret entrance. While Rene got in the van with Curtis and Dinah, Oliver and Nyssa both jumped on the motorcycle. They were the first ones out of the garage, followed by the other three in the van

-(=+=)-

"Those damn thieves are never going to learn" Nyssa said as she and Oliver hid above the crime scene where several thieves that they had taken down were being arrested

"They never do, which is why we still have to protect this city, and to think this is the best it's ever been at since I returned from the island" Oliver replied

"Don't worry beloved, I'm sure we can improve this even further. Heck, I can bring in the league if we want to"

"I appreciate the support, but at that point, I'd be damning myself as the mayor after allowing a group of international assassins to 'protect' the city"

"True, that would become a problem rather quickly" Nyssa said "Should we join the others back at the bunker?"

"Yeah. It's getting late and we need to take William home" Oliver said

Nyssa nodded in reply and they both started walking off into the other direction. As they walked, Oliver could feel his head starting to pound with a headache, but just figured it was his allergies. Even the mayor and vigilante of the city still got allergies around this time of year and it really did bother him. He did his best to hide it and because he and his wife were in a hurry to get back to the base, she didn't really take a huge notice

-(=+=)-

It was around eleven o'clock at night and the Queen house was pretty silent for the most part. Because it was a school night and many of the members of the team had jobs to go back to in the morning, they had all broken ways rather quickly as soon as everyone got back. When Oliver, Nyssa, and William got home, William went and finished his portion on his project, took a quick shower, and then went to bed. Like William, Nyssa had also taken a shower and was now standing at the bathroom counter, trying to comb out a small wrinkle in her hair.

She was still pulling the comb through it when she felt two hands rest on her shoulders. There was a mirror right in front of her but Nyssa was looking down so she couldn't see it, then again, she didn't need a mirror to tell her who had grabbed her shoulders

"Beloved, what are you doing?" Nyssa asked while relaxing at his touch

"Stalking my wife" Oliver said near the side of her neck "Is that alright?"

"I don't see a problem with it" Nyssa said while trying to go back to combing out her hair, but was stopped when Oliver took the comb out of her hand.

Oliver took the comb from Nyssa and brushed the piece of hair that she had been combing so that it was falling down her back instead of her chest. He started at the top and pulled the comb down through his wife's hair slowly so he didn't hurt her

"I'm afraid I don't entirely understand why you're doing this" Nyssa said while Oliver continued to comb through her hair

"Because I want to" Oliver replied "And because you're my wife"

"Those are good answers" Nyssa smiled

"By any chance did you find out what happened to Lenora and Jacob?"

"Yeah, Jacob sent out an apology text for not being at the bunker for the Kord thing, then went on to explain what's going on with Lenora" Nyssa started "Headache, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. I would not want to be her"

"Sounds like anemia" Oliver said

"How would you know that?"

"I took a one semester course of my senior year in high school on basic medical field training, which involved quick diagnosis"

"Huh, I didn't know that" Nyssa started "Jacob said that if she's not getting better, he might have to take her to a hospital because she gets seasonal allergies, but it's never been this bad apparently"

"Well either way, it would suck to be her right now" Oliver said as he put the comb down on the counter "I think I got that wrinkle out that you were trying to fix"

"I believe you did" Nyssa said when she ran her fingers through the section of hair where it used to be "Thank you beloved"

"No problem at all" Oliver said as he walked back into the bedroom

After he was out of the bathroom, Nyssa got changed into some sweats and a tank top, then pulled her hair up in a ponytail. She walked back into the bedroom and noticed that Oliver's side of the bed was disturbed, like he had been lying down, but now he was nowhere in sight. The door to their room was also cracked, then Nyssa heard the faint sound of bare feet pattering across the hardwood ground of the kitchen. She walked out of the bedroom and downstairs into the kitchen, where she saw Oliver leaning over the sink with a bottle of pills open on the counter

"Are you alright beloved?" Nyssa asked as she approached

"Everything's spinning" Oliver said while strengthening his grip on the side of the counter

"Is it your allergies?"

"They've never been this bad before"

"Did you take some of those?" Nyssa asked, gesturing towards the open pill bottle

"Yeah, I took two when we got home but they haven't been working for the past hour we've been home"

"Maybe you should just sleep on it. The medication should take effect soon"

"Okay, I'll do that" Oliver said as he lightened his grip on the counter

"Do you want some ice or something? It may help"

"Yeah, that'd be good"

Nyssa walked over towards the freezer and started making a small ice pack that Oliver could use. While she was doing that, Oliver tried walking over towards her, but had to hold the counter for support while his vision continued to grow fuzzier.

"Nyssa, I think I'm going to…." Oliver warned but then stumbled and started falling

Nyssa was able to react fast enough and caught Oliver right before he hit the ground. She picked his body up slightly so he wasn't in such an unnatural position, but then looked at him straight in the eyes. He wasn't unconscious, but he did look extremely exhausted and in a daze

"Oliver, do you have any idea what's causing this?" Nyssa asked as she threw his arm over her shoulders

"I don't know…." Oliver muttered

Nyssa didn't bother with asking anymore questions and just led Oliver over towards one of the couches in the family room. She helped him lie down, but then knelt down in front of him and looked straight into his eyes. Everything seemed normal, but then he closed them again

"Beloved, how many fingers am I holding up?" Nyssa asked as she held up two fingers

"Don't ask stupid questions" Oliver muttered

"I need you to answer me so I can try to find out what's wrong" Nyssa said "Now tell me, how many fingers am I holding up?"

"Looks like two" Oliver said, then closed his eyes again

Thank goodness he was right, because that eliminated a tone of possibilities for what could be going on with him. Nyssa tried asking him more questions, but it proved to be useless considering how exhausted Oliver looked. All the answers he gave were like a something out of Alice and Wonderland; just jibberish

"Can I go to sleep now?" Oliver asked, his voice muffled by the couch cushion

"Yes beloved, try to get some rest" Nyssa said before pulled a blanket over his legs and lower part of his chest

While Oliver buried himself further into the couch cushion, Nyssa sat down on the chair in the same general area and watched him as he started falling asleep. She immediately started going through all the possible causes and came up with the list of symptoms; headache, dizziness, fatigue, while nausea was uncertain. Nyssa was about to start looking up some stuff on her phone, but then saw the text that Jacob had sent earlier. Lenora had the same symptoms. Coincidence? Didn't seem like it, especially with the timing. Both had seasonal allergies, but neither had experienced something this bad before. Jacob had said it may have just been some type of bug flying around the area of city where the restaurant was and that he was just having Lenora sleep it off, so that's what Nyssa decided on too

-(=+=)-

Nyssa hadn't gone to sleep that night. Her night had been dedicated to watching Oliver and trying to find out what was wrong with him. Apparently Jacob had been doing something similar, so the two of them had been communicated throughout the night, trying to find the specific cause.

It was around six in the morning and the sun was just starting to rise when Nyssa got a small alert on her phone. It was something from the news network that read urgent, so like a normal person, she clicked it. The alert took her to the main website of the local news network and then played the morning news which was titled 'Breaking News: The Plague is Upon Us?'. Nyssa looked at Oliver one more time before walking through the kitchen and into the dining room. There, she turned up the volume on her phone and listened

 _'_ _Last night, Starling General was completely swamped with cases of severe headaches, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. Doctors are saying that is some type of sickness going through the city but based on the numbers of those seeking medical attention has increased, doctors predict that this is a fast spreading disease and might end up being deadly if not treated immediately. Experts are trying to find the cause and a cure for the ailments, but so far, doctors are only able to hand out medication to accommodate for the symptoms'_

It wasn't even ten seconds later when an alert for a text popped up on her phone. Nyssa snapped away from the news report and looked at the text chain that was connected to the entire team.

'Anyone else see the news report? Looks like it's the damn plague' Jacob's text read

'And it spreads fast. Lyla's got whatever this is too' Dig's text said

'I think I've got it too" Curtis pitched in

"Damn it" Nyssa swore under her breath after reading all the texts

Looks like whatever was flying through the city was like the plague, and it had gotten to Oliver. Nyssa had never seen him sick before, only with minor allergies during specific times of year, but this was unlike anything she had ever seen. There was no way that this was natural, due to its sudden take over, which meant that someone had planted it in the city, almost like her father had done with the bio weapon. Nyssa stepped back into the kitchen and was able to see Oliver just slightly. She looked over the back of the couch and saw her beloved, still asleep but he looked uncomfortable. Just knowing what this was doing to the city scared Nyssa because only god knew that she wouldn't be able to keep going if Oliver was taken from her

 **Author's Note**

 **1.** **Okay, so Taylor Swift's song 'Look What You Made Me Do' seems like the perfect song to describe Nyssa and Malcolm's relationship with each other. Anyone else think so?**

 **2.** **I have released another story! It's a series of one shots based around Malcolm's three years in the league of assassins so if you hadn't had the chance already, you should totally go over and check it out**


	33. Root Of The Problem

Nyssa had just finished reading the texts from the team and realized that the city was, once again, in for a long battle, just a different one from what it's used to. So far, the list of people on the team who were down with the plague included Lenora, Curtis, Rene, and Lyla.

Nyssa had taken a seat down on the couch next to the one Oliver had fallen asleep on and was reading over the rest of the team's messages when she got a small alert on her phone. It was from William's school district, saying that school had been called off to prevent the sickness from spreading. She knew that her son really valued sleeping in so Nyssa walked upstairs to his room. His door was cracked slightly so Nyssa quietly walked inside and saw that William was still asleep. She could see that he was still asleep and that his normal alarm would go off in around fifteen minutes, so she took a post-it note from his desk and wrote a little message on it

 _School cancelled today so you get to sleep in  
-Mom_

Nyssa left the note right on his clock so he could see it, then walked out of his room and back down to the family room where Oliver was. When she sat down, Nyssa pulled her phone back out and saw that the group chat was still active and she figured that before people start asking favors, she should get the news out.

All she wrote in the chain was 'Oliver's down' and then sent it. It wasn't even five seconds later when she got a call from Dig, so she picked up

 _"_ _Oliver's sick?!"_ Dig asked as soon as she picked up _"What happened exactly?"_

"I'm not really sure. We got home from dinner last night and when I saw him after getting out of the shower, he seemed just fine but not even ten minutes later, I found him down in the kitchen and he ended up fainting" Nyssa explained "Did something similar happen to Lyla?"

 _"_ _Yeah. She was trying to finish up some things for someone at A.R.G.U.S while standing at the counter and I had to catch her before she fainted"_

"So that's got to be one of the symptoms; sudden headaches that lead to fainting" Nyssa started "I'm thinking those who are able to should group up at the bunker and get a plan in place. We need to find the people who released the virus and try to find a cure"

 _"_ _I agree. I'll get the message spread to the team. You focus on Oliver and William"_

"Thanks Dig"

Nyssa hung up the phone just in time to see William walking downstairs, rubbing his eyes to adjust to the bright light coming in from the large floor to ceiling lodge windows. First he glanced up at Nyssa, then down at Oliver

"What's going on? Why's school been cancelled and why's Dad still asleep?" William questioned

"There's some type of sickness going through the city and to keep it more contained, the district has closed the schools. As for your father…" Nyssa trailed off "He was hit with it after you went to be last night"

"Is he going to be okay? Dad never gets sick!"

"Yeah, I think he'll be fine, but it looks like he's doing better than he was last night" Nyssa started "Listen, the team and I need to get down to the bunker and try to figure out a plan. Do you think you could stay here with your father for around an hour or do you want me to stay here?"

"The city needs you and the team more. Besides, I can take care of Dad" William started "But first, can I take a shower?"

"Sure buddy" Nyssa said with a smile while watching her son walk up the stairs

Nyssa walked over to the kitchen and got a small glass of water. She was leaning up against the counter when she saw Oliver wake up from his movements.

"Nyssa…." Oliver groaned from the couch

Nyssa quickly put her cup down and walked over towards Oliver and knelt down in front of him so they were eye level

"Yes beloved?"

"Turn the lights off…" Oliver said while burying his head underneath the blanket

"There aren't any lights on beloved. It's just the sunlight"

"Turn the sun off….!"

"I can't do that beloved" Nyssa said with a small smile, finding his impatience a bit amusing

"Yes you can! You have magic or something…like a wand…"

"Sword, but I can't just go turn off the sun" Nyssa replied "Just try to get some rest okay? And maybe if you're lucky, the sun will turn off on its own"

"You really think so?"

"Yes beloved, maybe the sun's feeling nice today"

Oliver nodded his head and got comfortable again. Nyssa stood back up and went into the kitchen and took another drink from her glass, then pulled out her phone again and looked at the group text chain. She could see that Dig had been handling the situation with the team after learning Oliver's down but he hadn't explained the side effects, so Nyssa did that herself

'Here's the symptoms we've come up with for whatever sickness this is; headaches, sudden fainting, and delirium. Oliver just asked me to turn off the sun' Nyssa texted out to the group

'Lenora was definitely delirious last night. She kept talking about serving spaghetti with the chefs at the restaurant but once we got home, she was really concerned about the stray dogs not having any dinner' Jacob replied

'Lyla started asking about baby Sara and JJ's favorite colors so we could paint the kitchen' Dig replied

Since they had confirmed some of the symptoms, it would be easy to tell if anyone was getting sicker in the team, which could help contain it before it spread. Because all of that was taken care of, Nyssa glanced back over at Oliver and saw that he had fallen asleep again. Seeing this, Nyssa crept upstairs and got changed out of her sweats and tank top, then got into jeans and her favorite jacket.

By the time she got back downstairs, Nyssa saw that William was sitting on the couch with his phone out while Oliver continued to sleep. William saw his mom comes downstairs and immediately pocketed his phone

"I'm not going to get mad at you for being on your phone" Nyssa started "But while I'm gone, can you please pay attention to your father?"

"Yeah, I'll go get a book then" William said while getting off the couch

"Good choice" Nyssa commented as William walked upstairs

While William was upstairs, Nyssa walked over towards Oliver and as she knelt down in front of him, he opened his cobalt blue and looked into her chocolate brown ones

"How are you feeling?" Nyssa asked

"Have you ever been on a roller coaster with a loop in it?" Oliver asked

"No, I don't think I have" Nyssa replied

"Well it's weird. It's like you're flying upside down for a split second and everything feels tingly, you know?"

"Sure…?"

"Yeah, that's how I feel"

"Okay then, so is that a good thing?"

"It's better than being on a waterslide going straight down" Oliver said casually

"Okay, that's good" Nyssa started "I need to go to the bunker and see what the team's going to be doing today. We're going to try and find a way to get rid of whatever sickness is going around the city so I need you to stay here"

"Sounds like fun" Oliver said "Can I come?"

"No beloved, you can't go anywhere. Just try to get some rest, alright?"

"MmmHmm" Oliver mumbled

Nyssa stood up and was about to go downstairs into the training room they had set up, where she usually called Nuriel when she had to go to Finiks Jurf, but she wasn't able to go far before Oliver called her name

"Hey Nys?" Oliver asked from the couch

"Yes beloved?" Nyssa asked as she turned around towards him

"When's Tressa coming home?"

"Tressa?"

"Yeah…did she have choir practice today or should William go and pick her up at the bus stop?"

"What are you talking about?"

"We should get a schedule posted in the kitchen or something. It's weird that we don't have one already considering all the after school activities our kids are getting involved in" Oliver said with a small laugh

"Um, y-yeah, we can do that tonight. I can take care of that…you just, uh, you just try to go back to bed" Nyssa replied "Hey William! I'm head to the bunker! Call if you need anything!"

"Kay Mom!" William shouted back from his room

Nyssa looked towards Oliver one last time before walking downstairs and into the training room, where she released a breath that even she didn't know she was holding.

'It's just the delirium…just the delirium' Nyssa repeated to herself over and over again in her head

She tried to ignore what Oliver said as she reached her hand out into the air and let a small flame escape. Nuriel appeared rather quickly and hovered in front of Nyssa

"Alqabu (The bunker)" Nyssa said to the fiery bird

Nuriel gave something like a small nod before starting to circle around Nyssa. She knew the bright light was coming so she closed her eyes. A warm rush of air passed by and when she opened her eyes again, she was standing off to the side of the main area of the bunker

"Morning Nyssa" Katara said from the platform

"Hey Katara" Nyssa greeted "What do you have so far?"

"I've got some contacts up in D.C who would be able to run a blood test to find out what the plague is targeting or what causes it, but some questions may be raised since I'm retired" Katara replied

"Let's go with S.T.A.R labs. They're good friends of ours" Nyssa concluded "So what blood samples do you need?"

"Two people with the virus, two people that are developing it, and two people that are completely free"

"Well I can be your first completely free one" Nyssa said as she walked over to the med bay

"Okay then. Dig's down in the firearms storage area so if you want to get him and get that done while I try to figure out who released it, that would be great"

Nyssa nodded and walked down to the hallway that branched off from the main area of the bunker. She only had to walk down a few doors before she found Dig, cleaning up a few of his guns

"You only clean your guns when you're stressed" Nyssa said from the doorway "Everything alright?"

"I have a neighbor that was willing to stay with Lyla, Sara, and JJ but I'm still worried about them. I don't want my kids to get sick" Dig replied "Because from what I've heard, the virus spreads fast"

"Well maybe I can do something about that" Nyssa started "Katara needs a blood sample from me and you so I can call in a favor with Caitlin and Iris. They'd be willing to help out"

"That would be good, and I'm guessing that you would go by….Nuriel? Is that what you named that Phoenix?"

"Yeah, Nuriel" Nyssa replied "And don't worry, I'm positive that it wouldn't hurt your kids in anyway"

"Okay, and if something does end up happening, you can just use that water from the league to fix it all, right?" Dig started "Wait a minute, why can't you use the water on the people who are sick"

"I would, believe me, but if I use it on the people related to the team, then everyone else in the city that's sick will need it and I don't think we have that much and even if we did, it would be exposing us to the entire city" Nyssa started "I know it's selfish but-"

"No, I get it. The league's secret should remain when there's another answer out there" Dig replied "So Katara needs a blood sample?"

"Yeah, we should get that done"

Dig put down the gun he was cleaning and followed Nyssa to the main room of the bunker where the med bay was. When they got in there, they saw that Dinah and Thea had arrived

"I heard about Ollie. Is he alright?" Thea asked when she saw Nyssa

"William's at home with him. He should be fine" Nyssa replied

"Okay, good" Thea said with a small sigh of relief "So what's the plan?"

"Dig and I are going to contribute blood samples from two people without the virus and then we need to find two people who are developing it and two with it" Nyssa said "Dig, you're up first"

"So once we get these samples, what are you going to do with them?" Dinah asked

"Well we were going to send them to some of Katara's contacts in D.C, but then we realized that it would raise a lot of questions so instead, I'm going up to S.T.A.R labs and they'll find us a cure or identity how it spreads" Dig answered

"Okay, so what should we do to help?" Thea asked

"Help Katara find the bastards who released the virus. I'll go get a blood sample from Oliver and then we need one more…" Nyssa said after taking a sample of Dig's blood

"Well you've got Curtis, Lenora, Rene, and Lyla to choose from" Dinah said

"And Asher!" Katara called, who had just set her phone down on the desk "My husband's got it too apparently"

"Wait, Jacob's still not here" Nyssa said as she pulled out her phone and quickly dialed his number. She waited for a few seconds before someone picked up

 _"_ _I know! I know I'm late and I'm just about to head out!"_ Jacob said when he picked up

"No, it's good that you're late. I need you to get a blood sample from Lenora" Nyssa replied

 _"_ _Wait, what? Why do you need a blood sample?"_

"We're trying to get a group of them together to send to S.T.A.R labs so they can find a cure. Can you get one before you leave?"

 _"_ _Yeah, but Connor agreed to stay with Lenora so how am I going to explain that to him?"_

"I don't know. Say you've got a friend who's trying to find a cure and they don't have a lot of friends who have the virus or something along those lines, but just hurry"

 _"_ _Okay, I'll be there soon"_

Nyssa hung up the phone and let Dig take the blood sample while Dinah labeled the syringe with Dig's blood. Thea went up to Katara and helped her scrub through security footage from some popular places of interest or highly crowded areas where the virus could have been released.

"Okay, two clean people are done" Dinah announced as she set aside the two syringes "Now we need the ones with the virus"

"I'll go home and get one from Oliver. You wait for Lenora's" Nyssa said to Dig before grabbing another syringe

"You got it" Dig answered

-(=+=)-

Nyssa opened her eyes and found herself in the training room of her house. She quickly walked up the stairs and when she got upstairs she heard a conversation coming from the living room. Nyssa walked towards the living room from the dining room, where the door to the basement was found, and saw Oliver still lying on the couch, but he was talking with William who had on leg draped over the back of the couch while he hung his head upside down

"I don't know, I just don't see why people don't want to be friends with the trees! They're very fun to talk to…they have a lot of good stories" William said with a sigh

"Yeah, they are really friendly" Oliver replied "We should start a movement or a hashtag on twitter….something like #TreesAreFriends"

"That's a good idea Mr. Queen"

"You're the one that brought the problem to my attention Mr. Clay-…what's your name again?"

"I don't remember….." William said with a small laugh

"What are you two doing?" Nyssa asked as she walked into the room

"Mr. Clay something brought to our attention that trees are being neglected of human attention and that they need to be loved too, like family pets" Oliver said "Do you want to be part of our movement?"

"Uh, sure…?" Nyssa started "Beloved, I need you to hold out your arm for me"

"Why? Are you trying to trace me back to that incident at the supermarket because it wasn't me!" Oliver said

"I know beloved, but the authorities just need to make sure"

"Hmph…fine"

Nyssa pulled Oliver's arm out from the blanket and was able to quickly find a vein. The needle of the syringe barely pierced his skin when Oliver shrieked. He tried to swat it away, but Nyssa was able to block him right as she pulled it out of his skin

"You didn't tell me it would hurt!" Oliver said "I think I'm bleeding out!"

"Beloved, you're just fine" Nyssa said as she kissed her forehead "But you know those authorities, they just have to be proven wrong all the time"

"I hate them"

'You are one' Nyssa thought with a small laugh, but then looked back towards Oliver "I know, but why don't you and Mr. Clayton talk about it a bit more"

"Ton! It was Ton!" William said from the couch "I knew there was something more!"

"Yes buddy, you did know" Nyssa said as she walked over to him and made him sit up on the couch "But you can't sit like that again or you'll hurt yourself"

"Ugh, when did the assistant become the boss?" William asked Oliver

"I don't know, but she's a good boss" Oliver said before looking towards Nyssa "You're a good boss, you know that….I don't know your name either!"

"It's alright beloved, you'll get it soon" Nyssa replied "I'll be right back"

Nyssa walked away from the living room as 'Mr. Queen' and 'Mr. Clayton' resumed their conversation. She walked towards the piano bench and lifted the seat, revealing a large vial. Nyssa picked it up and looked to the side, which was clear unlike the rest of the vial which was black, and saw that it was completely drained of the eternal water

"Damn it" Nyssa muttered as she put the vial back

Nyssa walked back into the family room and saw that Oliver and William were now sitting upright with blankets draped over their shoulders and were engaged in a very 'professional' conversation

"So if business continues to increase like that, then we should have enough money for a whole box of donuts next month!" William said

"That sounds like a good investment, but we need to get in contact with our digital designers first" Oliver said

"Hey beloved, I need to get back to the bunker with the team. Are you and Mr. Clayton going to continue your meeting?"

"Yeah, and then we're going to lunch" Oliver replied

"Don't worry about lunch. I'll get something for you guys"

"That would be great…you should get donuts" William recommended

"I'll keep that in mind, but I need to get going, alright?" Nyssa said before kissing William's forehead

"Okay then, we'll save you a spot at the conference table" Oliver said with a wave

"Thanks beloved" Nyssa said as she started walking back towards the basement

As she walked away from the living room, Nyssa's kept wandering back to the thought of what Oliver had said earlier, about someone named Tressa. Perhaps it was a family member or a family friend and he was recalling them, or it was something he was imagining in the future. Nyssa tried to tell herself that it was a family member, but even then she knew it wasn't true

-(=+=)-

"Okay, so we've got the two clean samples and one virus sample" Dinah said as she looked at the three syringes "Now the hard part is getting it when two people are developing it"

"Anyone know someone who might be sick?" Thea asked

"I don't think anyone here has any family that's not sick, but then again, we don't actually want them to get sick" Katara said

"Here's the sample from Oliver" Nyssa said as she walked into the main room and put the forth syringe with the others

"Everything alright?" Thea asked when she noticed the slightly concerned look on Nyssa's face

"William caught the virus and now he and Oliver and conducting business meetings in the family room about friendships with the trees" Nyssa replied

"The delirium sounds more like a show at your house" Jacob said "Lenora's just been talking about Italian food from what Connor said"

"Oh joy, that sounds fantastic" Thea said

"Okay, enough fooling around. We need to get those last two samples so everyone just keep an eye out. Katara, keep looking through the security footage and see if you can pull up anything" Nyssa instructed

"You got it" Katara said

"What should the rest of us do?" Dig asked

"Um, Dig, you stay here with Katara. Thea, you and I should hit the streets in the areas where the virus could have spread and look for any leads"

"I'll stop by the SCPD and see if they've got anything useful" Dinah said

"Good, then let's get to it"

-(=+=)-

"Do you see anything Nyssa?" Katara asked over the coms

"It just looks like a normal town square. It doesn't seem like there was anything that happened here last night" Nyssa replied

"Okay, just keep looking around for anything that could be related to something chemical" Katara started "Thea, do you have anything"

"I never thought I'd see the plaza completely deserted. I wish it could be like this when I need to do some shopping" Thea replied "But no, I don't see anything"

"Just continue looking" Katara said

Nyssa continued walking around town square, which was just one block away from city hall. Almost the entire city had taken the day off from work except for the first responders, doctors, and city leadership, all for obvious reasons. She thought she was completely alone, but when she heard footsteps behind her, Nyssa immediately turned around to face who it was

"I didn't think I'd see you out here" Quentin said when he saw Nyssa "What are you doing out here?"

"Looking for any leads that could give us a hint towards who released the virus" Nyssa replied "Better question is what are you doing out here?"

"I've got a lunch break and everyone in city hall is losing their minds because the mayor isn't there"

"Yeah…he and William are at home sick"

"I figured as much" Quentin sighed "Looks like I have to be the deliverer of bad news…again!"

"I'm really sorry about that Quentin, but I would have called in myself but then everything going on with the team and then my family…."

"Don't worry about if for a second. You've got your priorities straight so now it's time for me to do my job"

"Thank you again Quentin" Nyssa smiled "You really are amazing"

"Two years ago, I'd never thought I would hear you say something like that" Quentin said with a small smile "But now a days, I consider you more like a daughter"

"R-Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, you do remind me of Sara and….Laurel, a lot, and when either of them walked into the room, the whole place would just light up, at least, for me it would. For some reason, you tend to have the same effect on other people"

"That's actually really refreshing to hear" Nyssa smiled "Thank you for that"

"Anytime. Now, you should probably get back to your search while I get back to city hall, but let me know if you guys need anything"

"We'll be sure to let you know" Nyssa said before she and Quentin parted ways

Over on the other side of town, Thea walked along the deserted sidewalks of the plaza where all of the city's most popular shops were located. It was strange to her, not hearing the normal bustling that took place, but it was quite nice.

As she approached the middle of the plaza, she saw that like the rest of the pathways, it was completely empty. The grounds had a bit of garbage on them, but nothing that would raise huge suspicion. Thea continued her search, but after fifteen minutes of looking, she still hadn't found anything

"I still haven't found anything" Thea said "There's nothing here"

"Okay, Nyssa, you're in the clear, right?" Katara asked

"Yeah, everything's normal here" Nyssa replied

"Both of you head to the meeting point; at the corner of redwood and 5th" Katara said

"We'll meet up there, then head to the next two places" Nyssa said

"That's the plan. I'll send in the locations once I have them" Katara replied

As the coms went silent, Thea started walking towards the main roads and off the sections of pathways reserved for shoppers. While she walked, Thea could feel a headache coming on, but didn't think much of it as she continued walking

-(=+=)-

Nyssa waited at the corner for Thea, just a bit impatiently. It had been eight minutes past the meet time and Thea was still nowhere in sight. She had reported on the coms that she was coming and just got a bit held up, but Nyssa wasn't completely buying it

"Katara, can you get me a location on Thea?" Nyssa asked on the coms

"I'm right here Nyssa" Thea said as she approached

"Never mind" Nyssa corrected, then started walking towards Thea "Are you alright?"

"Headache" Thea groaned as she stopped walking, up her stance looked to be unbalanced "I don't think I can keep standing for much…."

Nyssa saw the shaking of Thea's legs and before the younger girl could finish her sentence, Nyssa was able to see that she was about to faint. Instincts kicked in and Nyssa caught her sister-in-law midair before she completely fell to the ground

"Thea's got the virus, doesn't she?" Katara asked

"Yeah, but we can't get the blood sample since it's already fully active" Nyssa said as she guided Thea up off the ground "I'm getting her back to the loft"

"Okay, we'll all stand by" Katara replied

"Nyssa…I feel like crap…" Thea muttered as Nyssa put her sister-in-law's arm over her shoulder

"I know Thea, but you'll be home soon" Nyssa replied as they started walking

"Oh that's good. Maybe we can play a game of monopoly too, but you've the whole thing with the team, right?"

"Yeah, sorry about that"

"Ugh! I'm going to be so bored"

"Don't worry, I'll stop by whenever I can"

"Aww, thanks Nyssa"

"Anytime Speedy"

-(=+=)-

"Okay, where are we at with things?" Nyssa asked as she walked in to see Dinah, Katara, and Dig all hard at work

"We've been going through a bunch of security footage from popular places in the city and we still don't have anything, but we've gathered two thirds of the blood samples so that's always good" Katara said

"How's Thea?" Dig asked

"At the loft. She fell asleep while we were still walking there so I ended up having to carry her" Nyssa said "But that's not important. What is important is finding the source"

"But we don't really have a place to start. I looked around at the SCPD and they don't have anything" Dinah said, but at the end, she started coughing

"Are you alright?" Dig asked

"Yeah" Dinah coughed "Maybe. I feel a headache coming on"

"Sorry Dinah! I'm stealing a sample!" Nyssa said as she hurried over to get a syringe from the med bay

"Oh wait a minute, I'm the fifth sample" Dinah said with a cough "Glad my suffering is going to a good cause"

"The best one" Dig said with a small smirk, but was secretly dreading just how fast this virus was spreading

"Okay….That's the fifth sample" Nyssa said as she pulled the syringe out from Dinah's arm "I'm taking you home before you decide to pass out in the field like Thea"

"Sounds good to me. I don't enjoy being a damsel in distress" Dinah said with a small shrug and a cough

"Wait, Nyssa" Dig said, making Nyssa turn around "Are you sure you should go with her? You might catch it too"

"I'll be fine. I've been around Oliver, William, Thea, and out in public and I'm still not sick. Helping Dinah out won't be a problem" Nyssa replied

"Okay, if you say so" Dig said as he watched Nyssa and Dinah leave the bunker "You think they'll be alright?"

"Yeah, it's Nyssa and Dinah, two kick ass women. They'll be fine" Katara said "Now, I need your help going through the footage in the mall food court"

"Mall food court?"

"You never know"

-(=+=)-

"We're running out of options" Katara groaned as she leaned back in her seat "We've gone through every bit of security footage from the last day at all the popular gathering places and we still haven't found anything!"

"Don't worry about it. You're doing fantastic still" Nyssa said "I'm sure between the three of us, we can figure this out but I'll get the league involved if I need to"

"Good to hear, but how is the league going to help us with a more local situation?" Dig asked

"I've got a group of incredibly advanced STEM professionals and they could lend a hand in tracking or even developing the cure" Nyssa answered

"So we've got a backup plan, but we still don't have an actual plan" Katara said "And not to mention our decreased team. Ten members down to three!"

"Wait, what happened to Jacob?" Nyssa asked

"While you were getting the blood sample from Oliver, he had to head back to Connor and Lenora since Connor was starting to ask a bunch of questions. Wasn't even an hour later when he called in with symptoms of the virus" Dig answered

"Well that's just….fantastic" Nyssa aid, putting special emphasis on the 'fantastic'

"We can figure it out, but is there anyone in the city that might be able to help us? Someone that's not anti-vigilante?" Katara asked

"We've got the league as a backup plan….A.R.G.U.S could take almost three hours to get out here without Lyla there, Oliver has completely destroyed his connection to the bratva, and we can't get S.T.A.R labs' help until we get the last blood sample"

"Wait, what about Tarren?" Katara asked, making Nyssa pick her head up immediately "He knows your secret and Oliver's! Maybe he could lend an assist!"

"Like with field combat or…." Nyssa started, but then realized what he had access to "The city's private labs and security agency!"

"That's perfect! So go butter up the man that had a crush on you and see if you can get him to talk!" Katara urged

"Here we go again" Nyssa said with a slight groan as she grabbed her coat and started walking towards the exit

-(=+=)-

Nyssa rode the elevator down to the security level of city hall. She had been able to slip in and out without being noticed by the media, that is, what was left of them, and she had taken back her security badge after first telling Tarren.

The elevator stopped and as a ding echoed through the tiny enclosure, the doors opened up and Nyssa stepped outside. She came to the two, sealed, double doors and slid her ID card through the tiny scanner on the sides. The doors clicked and she walked in to find that almost seventy percent of the people that were normally there working were completely gone. Only two of the computer specialists remained and about four trainees, or rookies. Nyssa glanced over to the left and saw Tarren's door cracked, so she walked over towards his office without saying a word.

"Tarren? You in here?" Nyssa asked as she knocked on the door frame

"Nyssa? What are you doing here?" Tarren said with a small groan and a cough "Shouldn't you and the team be trying to fix this?"

"I'm here to see you because we need your help" Nyssa started "Seven of the ten members of our team have been taken out by the virus and we're running out of leads to run down, which is where you come in"

"What can I do you for?"

"What connections do you have with the security agency and the city's private labs?"

"I wouldn't say they're perfect, but we do have" Tarren started, but the stopped with coughing

"You're getting sick too" Nyssa muttered, but then realize what this meant "Tarren! I need you to give me your arm!"

"What? Why?" Tarren asked, but stopped when Nyssa ran out of the room

Nyssa returned not even fifteen seconds later with a syringe in her hand. She grabbed Tarren's arm and pulled up the sleeve while he just watched

"Um, I'd like to know why you're drawing my blood" Tarren said casually

"My team needs a total of six samples to send into a lab up in Central City and you just became the final sample" Nyssa explained as she pulled the syringe out of his arm "Thank you so much! This is actually just what I needed!"

"Yeah, glad my sickness is helping!" Tarren coughed

"Me too, now I have to go! And for goodness sakes, just go home before it gets worse"

"Will do ma'am" Tarren replied before Nyssa quickly walked out of the room

-(=+=)-

"I got it! I got it!" Nyssa said as she practically ran into the bunker

"You got what?" Dig asked

"Tarren was catching the virus when I walked in so I got a blood sample with a syringe from the miniature med bay that's set up down there" Nyssa explained

"Awesome! Now you can take that to Central City for analysis" Katara said

"And we're taking my kids up there" Dig said

"Yeah, I already called Caitlin and Iris. They're actually really excited to see the mini Diggles" Nyssa said with a small smile "But just to make sure they don't bring the virus to that city…"

Dig and Katara both watched as Nyssa walked over to duffle bag where her assassin attire was kept and pulled out a small vial. She shook it a bit and smiled when she heard the sound of the sloshing contents inside

"I need Sara and JJ to each drink a little bit of this. If they do have the sickness, this will cure it and make them safe to go to the city" Nyssa explained

"And that's the league water, right?" Dig asked, receiving a nod from Nyssa "Okay, then that shouldn't hurt them"

"Not in the slightest. I guarantee"

"Okay then. I'll get the blood samples and then we can go straight from my apartment"

"Sounds good to me"

-(=+=)-

Nyssa and Dig both walked towards the front door of the Diggle apartment while Dig fumbled with a key in his pockets. When they finally came to the door, Dig found the key and pushed it into the lock. He turned it and when he opened it, he was happy to see that the neighbor who had agreed to stay with Lyla was still alert and in good health.

"Ah, John, I didn't expect you to come home so soon" The neighbor said as she got up from the chair she was sitting on and greeted him

"Sorry about not calling earlier Mila" Dig said "This was such a sudden change of plans and I just caught up in everything"

"It's not a problem at all" Mila said, then turned towards Nyssa "I recognize you. You're the mayor's wife. Nyssa, right?"

"Yes, and it's a pleasure to meet you miss…?" Nyssa said as they shook hands

"Mila Kalian" She replied, then turned to Dig "So is something wrong or did you just come here to see your wife?"

"I came here to see my wife, but I also have some close friends up in Central City that agreed to watch Sara and JJ until this whole plague thing wears down. I don't want my kids getting sick"

"Understandable" Mila said "Well Lyla is asleep in your room and your little nuggets are also asleep in their room"

"Okay, I'll be right back" Dig said

"So tell me, what's the mayor's wife doing with the Diggle man?" Mila asked

"He's a very close family friend and I agreed to help him, on Oliver's behalf, with his children's transport to Central City. After all, one man against two toddlers? He doesn't stand a chance"

"No, none at all" Mila smiled "I remember when my kids were that age. They would always get so excited when we were about to go somewhere but both of them hated the car so as soon as they got in, both burst into tears"

"How old are your children now?"

"My oldest, Katherine, is in eighth grade and my other, Lucas, is in seventh grade. They have their imperfections, but they're my little angels" Mila smiled "What about you and Oliver? Do you have any cute stories of William?"

"Not really, at least, I wouldn't know any from when he was really young" Nyssa said, a bit saddened by that but didn't show it

"Right, William was taken into your home later…." Mila trailed off "But that doesn't really matter. You three make a wonderful family"

"Thank you" Nyssa smiled

"Okay" Dig said as he walked back into the room with the three year old twins

Nyssa smiled as she saw JJ walk alongside his father while Dig held Sara on his hip. He had something like a dipper bag over his shoulder, but it was much smaller since the twins were toddlers now

"Hey Nyssa, can you take little Sara?" Dig asked

"Aw, of course" Nyssa said as she took Sara off her father's hip and let her balance on her own

Little Sara smiled as she wrapped her arms around Nyssa's neck and quickly started laughing for no reason in particular. Nyssa smiled at seeing the little girl's happiness and in many ways, it reminded her of her Sara; the former assassin and time traveling blonde that Nyssa had come to love as family.

"She seems to really like you" Mila said while watching Nyssa and Sara's interactions

"She's just a little sweetheart, aren't you?" Nyssa asked the toddler, who just continued smiling

"We should get going" Dig said after putting JJ on his hip "Again, thank you so much for doing this Mila"

"It's not a problem. I can stay here with Lyla until you get back. My kids and husband are off on a camping trip for the scouts so I don't have to go back to them anytime soon" Mila said

"That would be amazing. We'll have to treat you and your husband to a nice brunch or something this weekend" Dig said

"You don't have to do something like that, but it would be amazing if you did" Mila said with a smile "Now get going before traffic gets really bad!"

Dig and Nyssa were quickly ushered out the door and as soon as they were outside the apartment, they made their way towards the elevators. The whole time, Sara continued to wear the innocent smile on her face and Nyssa couldn't help but smile at the sight. Dig noticed and seeing the assassin so happy with his daughter made him even happier, despite the situation around them

Once they were outside, Nyssa and Dig both rounded into an alleyway, one that was hidden but not dark. The two toddlers didn't seem to mind, as they each found comfort with the adult that was with them

"Okay, you have the blood samples, correct?" Nyssa asked

"Yeah, they're all in the bag" Dig replied

"Good, now let's have them drink this…." Nyssa said as leaned back a little bit, then took her hand off Sara

Nyssa pulled out two small vials from the pocket in her jacket and handed one to Dig. He popped the top off and held it to JJ's mouth and to his surprise, the young boy drank it willingly. Nyssa was having a bit more trouble, as Sara was more stubborn than her brother

"Hey honey, I need you to drink this" Nyssa said to the young girl

Sara only squirmed in response and then Nyssa remembered a trick she had seen other mothers use.

"Hey Sara" Nyssa said, grabbing the girl's attention "Here comes the airplane"

The young toddler seemed fascinated by the movement of the small glass and when it came near her lips, she actually made an effort to take the vial into her own hands and drink the water on her own. When the last drop had fallen on her tongue, she let the vial fall to the ground. Nyssa just smiled as she reached down, grabbed the vial, and pocketed it

"I didn't think that would actually work" Nyssa commented

"Yeah, it's amazing the things that kids respond to" Dig replied "Anyway, are we all set or is there a wait time?"

"We're all good to go since the water's fast acting" Nyssa said as she held her hand out, a bit further than she usually did so there wasn't a chance of Sara hurting herself

Nyssa let a small flame escape her fingertips and the four of them watched as the fire took the shape of a majestic hawk like bird. As it took form, Sara and JJ both started laughing, smiling, and even clapping their hands to try and get the bird's attention, but Nuriel was focused on Nyssa

"mukhtabarat alnujum (S.T.A.R. labs)" Nyssa said to the bird

Nuriel didn't nod, but then started to circle around the four

"Cover JJ's eyes" Nyssa said as she put her hand over Sara's

Dig copied her motion and did it just in time to close his own eyes. When he opened them he, saw that they were no longer in the alley, or Star City, but were now in the S.T.A.R labs cortex where Iris, Caitlin, Cisco, Barry, and Ralph all were

"Hey Nyssa!" Iris said cheerfully "You brought them!"

"Yeah, this is little Sara and JJ Diggle" Dig introduced "And you two are going to take care of them while all of this is happening in Star City?"

"Of course we will! These two will have so much fun here, they won't ever want to go back home" Caitlin promised as she took Sara from Nyssa's hip "Hey sweetheart, you've got really pretty eyes, you know that?"

"She's a little diva. She likes the attention" Dig said with a small laugh while Sara just smiled at everyone "JJ is a bit more…concealed. He doesn't laugh or smile easily but one he does smile, he won't stop"

"Oh he'll be smiling by the end of his visit" Iris promised as she held JJ on her hip "While your sister may be pretty, you're the strong one. You're going to grow up to be just like your dad!"

At that comment, JJ did smile, making everyone in the room smile as well. Dig said his last goodbye to his kids, then Caitlin and Iris took them to a more child friendly area of the labs, leaving Nyssa and Dig with Cisco, Barry, and Ralph

"Alright, so what do you have for us!" Cisco said

"Here you go" Dig said as he laid out the syringes "Nyssa's and I are cleaned, as marked by the blue dots. Dinah's and Tarren's and developing, as marked by the yellow dot, and Oliver's and Lenora's are fully active, as marked by the red dot"

"Okay so we're finding a cure and any way to tell how this spreads" Barry said

"Literally anything will help at this point. We're running out of leads and need to find a way to track something down" Nyssa said

"No problem. With the three of us all working on it, I'm sure we can get this done in around a day or so" Cisco said

"Great, thank you so much for doing this! You have no idea how much you're helping us out" Nyssa said

"Well from the sound of things, it seems that Star City could use a pretty awesome team of vigilantes" Ralph said "Who better than the original team?"

"Thanks Ralph" Dig said

"Yeah, thank you, but if we want to actually save the city, we need to get going and help out Katara" Nyssa said

"Right then, we'll call you when we have something" Barry said "See you guys soon"

Nyssa and Dig both waved goodbye, then stepped backwards into an open area, where Nyssa called Nuriel and sent them back to the bunker

-(=+=)-

"I like the convenience of that teleportation phoenix thing, but I will never be able to fully grasp the reality that there's magic in this world" Dig said as he and Nyssa walked towards the main room of the bunker

"It is crazy, but at that point, you just learn to expect the unexpected. Everything becomes easier from there" Nyssa replied, then looked towards Katara "Anything?"

"Still doing some extra digging and I've found a couple things, but in order to find any other links, I needed to hack into some….places and get the information" Katara replied

"Okay, well we now have S.T.A.R labs working on a cure so that's out of the way" Nyssa said with a relieved sigh "Now we just find the point of origin

"I believe I can help with that" A voice said from an entrance

Nyssa, Dig, and Katara all looked towards the area where the voice came from and were all surprised to see a man in dusty blue armor, a red sash, and dark brown hair walking towards them

"Dakota!" Nyssa said as she jumped off the platform and hugged her brother "What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here for another week and a half!"

"Well believe it or not, I didn't actually come here originally for you" Dakota said "It's about the virus"

"What about it?" Dig asked

"It's my fault that it was released on this city and so I'm here to fix it" Dakota replied

"A little explanation would be nice brother" Nyssa said

"Right, so there's a man in the Celestial Order that has served me well for the past eight years. He was one of my top men, but recently, he's been more of a loose cannon"

"What do you mean?" Katara asked

"He's rebelled against the order" Dakota started "He says I did something to him and that he would have his revenge, but I never thought he would go this far"

"And what do you mean by 'this far'?" Dig asked

"Because this man was one of my most trusted, I told him about Nyssa being my sister. He took it well and it wasn't really mentioned after I told him, but in our most recent face off, he said that he would get his revenge on me by taking someone away from me that I loved the most and now I know that he was talking about you" Dakota said as he turned to face Nyssa at the end

"So this rouge in the order has gone against you and released a virus on my city all to get back at you? For what?" Nyssa asked "What was so bad that he looked to kill me?"

"Obviously it hasn't worked as he's liked to" Dakota said with a small laugh "It's a really long story without a short version but when this whole thing is over, or when there's chance to explain, I will do just that"

"So you're here to clean up the mess you caused?" Katara asked

"Yes, and I'm not leaving until it has been fixed up" Dakota concluded

"Alright then. I don't suppose you have any really good ways of finding this man?" Nyssa asked

"I have a few ways and I will dispatch my assassins to start them so we can end this sooner rather than later" Dakota said confidently

"Good. You work on that. Katara, you continue doing what you're doing while Dig and I try to find more information about how this virus is spreading" Nyssa instructed

As the four team mates all broke off into their separate jobs, Nyssa still couldn't stop thinking about what Oliver had said earlier, about someone named Tressa. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but then someone had mentioned having kids with her, then her interactions with little Sara; none of it seemed random at that point, but believing it was a 'sign from the gods' also seemed illogical, which led Nyssa to one question; What the hell was fate trying to throw at her this time?


	34. Rid The City Of The Plague

"Where are you guys at with finding the virus' path?" Nyssa asked as she walked in with Dakota, both dressed in their assassin attire

"Based on the formula Cisco and Caitlin used in the cure, we're trying to find something like a marker that the virus attacks but so far, we don't have anything overly useful, but we should soon" Katara replied "Did you two find anything out there?"

"We checked around the safe houses that the members of the order frequent when they're here but this rouge got smart. I've still got my men working up some more leads so we should have something soon" Dakota replied

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" Nyssa asked as she pulled her brother to the side of the room "What's going on? You keep referring to this guy 'the rogue' like you don't want to tell us who he is"

"It's not really important" Dakota said while looking off to the side

"Yes. It is" Nyssa corrected "Not blaming you for anything just yet, but your man came to my city and released a damn virus that's affecting everyone in the city. I'd believe I'm entitled to at least an idea of what this guy did to go rogue"

"It wasn't really him….it was me"

"What do you mean?"

"His name's Amon"

"Ha!" Nyssa said with a small laugh

"What?" Dakota asked with a raised eyebrow

"You do know what that name means, don't you?"

"Not really. I don't study foreign names"

"It means Trustworthy in Arabic. Quite ironic if you ask me"

"Yeah, guess so" Dakota started "Amon was one of the higher ranking members of the order and also a good friend of mine. Eventually, we started drifting apart as my role in the order became more important. Around two months after we stopped talking, I went out on a mission to get rid of a gang problem in Egypt. It was led by a man named Kadir Rashad. Before going in, I planned on turning him into the authorities to properly punish him, but Kadir held one of my assassins hostage and the only way I could free him was by killing Kadir, so that's what I did"

"Seems like the right thing to do. Gang leaders shouldn't be left roaming the streets, especially if it results in innocent people's deaths"

"That's what I thought too, but about a week after I returned to Isfara, Amon confronted me and demanded to know why I killed Kadir. There was some debate but after a while, Amon revealed to me that his last name was Rashad"

"So that means Kadir…."

"Was his father" Dakota started with a sigh as he ran his hand down his face while staring at the ground "There was no way for me to know but apparently he and his father were really close. I tried to justify my actions, but after that, Amon left…I hadn't heard from him for about a month until I saw what was going on here in Star City. I recognized the attack patterns and knew it was him in an instant, so I got on a plane to try and fix all of this"

"Dakota…"

"Look, I'm really sorry about all of this. If I had just payed attention to the signs earlier then none of this would be happening and your family wouldn't be sick and-"

"Dakota!" Nyssa said in a stern tone, stopping him immediately "There was no way for you to know, and it's alright. We've got a good team here and we'll figure it all out"

"You're not mad?"

"Oh don't get me wrong. I'm pissed as hell, but not at you" Nyssa started, making Dakota smile "Besides, no idiot from the order is going to get the best of my city"

"Did you just call the members of the order idiots?"

"Nope! Just the one! You're okay, I guess" Nyssa said with a playful smirk at the end

"Gee, thanks sis" Dakota smirked before giving her a playful shove

Nyssa was about to say some witty comeback but Dakota's phone vibrated. He reached into his outer jacket and pulled it out. One glance at the screen was all he needed

"We've got a hit on another location from one of my assassins. They were able to confirm activity in the last twenty four hours at the site" Dakota reported

"Good, let's go then" Nyssa said "You two going to be alright here?"

"Yeah, we're good" Dig replied "Go find that son of a bitch"

"Gladly!" Nyssa smirked before she and her brother walked out of the room

-(=+=)-

Nyssa and Dakota both had eyes on the place where Amon was supposed to be hiding out from where they were knelt on a roof. Both had their masks and hoods pulled up, even though no one was around to see them

"Looks clear to me" Nyssa said from where they were perched before standing up "Let's go"

"Be wary of traps, especially trip wire activated and or motion detector activated gas traps" Dakota said as he stood up as well "Amon had favorites"

"Don't we all" Nyssa muttered, making Dakota give her an odd look "We're international assassins for crying out loud! Don't act like you don't have a favorite trap"

"Drop cage" Dakota murmured

"Arrows" Nyssa replied "Now let's get going"

Both twins jumped off the roof they were previously standing on and started walking towards the old two story house. It wasn't in the middle of nowhere, but there weren't a lot of houses in the surrounding area. The whole area was almost dead silent, sending slight chills to the twins.

"Stay behind me" Dakota said when they came to the back door

Nyssa didn't try to argue and stepped back a bit before Dakota slowly unlocked the door. He pushed it open ever so slightly, but as soon as he did, he heard something click from inside, then something hit the walls

"Arrow trap" Dakota said as he looked back towards Nyssa "Motion activator"

"Step aside" Nyssa said as she stepped forward

Dakota fell back a bit and Nyssa skimmed the side of the house. She pulled out two fletchettes from her bracer and barely peered inside. She was easily able to see where the motion detectors were, so she retracted her arm and threw the two fletchettes into the room. As soon as they left her hand, Nyssa pulled back just in time for another arrow to hit the door, but the firing stopped earlier. Nyssa and Dakota both looked inside and saw that the two motion detectors each had a knife going straight through them

"That's pretty cool" Dakota said as he stepped in "Thanks for that"

"No problem" Nyssa muttered

The twins continued walking into the house and when they came over some trip wires, both stepped over them and made sure to remember their location. Eventually, they reached the main area where the kitchen, dining room, and part of the family room. Dakota explored the family room while Nyssa started looking around the dining room. At first, she didn't see anything so she went into the kitchen. While she was looking around, Nyssa saw that all the cabinets were in almost perfect condition, except for one where the hinge was ajar slightly. She walked over to it and pulled the cabinet open. Once again, everything seemed normal, that is, until she saw the small corner of paper sticking out of a pot with a lid over the top. Nyssa knelt down and pulled out the piece of paper, but made sure to put the pot back exactly as she found it before standing up

"Dakota, I got something" Nyssa said while reading over the paper

"What is it?" Dakota asked as he came up behind her

"These look like addresses, but they're written backwards in some ways so it wouldn't be definite"

"Katara can always run some sort of algorithm once we get back, right?"

"Yeah, sounds good"

"Oh, and I think I found something too but I'll need your help with it"

Dakota walked over to the mantel and showed Nyssa something that looked like a box outlined in the wall behind a framed picture of a woman and man on the beach. The outline looked like it was dug out of the wall

"I think there's something behind it" Dakota said "But I might need you to pull off a little magic trick to get the piece of dry wall off"

"Really? Magic?" Nyssa questioned with an eyebrow raised "This is real simple stuff"

Nyssa moved the frames out of the way and pressed three fingers in the corners, but left the top right one untouched. With her left hand pushing down the corners, Nyssa used the side of her right hand to press into the wall. As soon as her hand made contact with the wall, the dry wall square fell out and backwards into the support beam gap, but with her right hand, Nyssa was able to catch it and pull it back out

"That's a neat little trick" Dakota said as he took the piece of dry wall

"Yes it is, and I believe that is what you were looking for" Nyssa said as she pointed to the piece of dry wall

Dakota looked down and saw that there was a piece of thick paper secured to the part of the dry wall that hadn't been exposed before. He peeled it off, unfolded it, and started reading

"It's information on the virus and it's specific traits" Dakota announced "We should get these back. Katara could definitely use it"

"Yeah, let's get going" Nyssa said

Both twins pocketed the pieces of paper they found before putting the piece of dry wall back. Nyssa was able to seal the wall back up so it looked as if it had been untouched and after everything was put back into place, they both got out as fast as they could

-(=+=)-

"Katara? Where are you at with the virus?" Nyssa asked as she and Dakota walked back into the bunker

"Doing great…." Katara muttered before coughing

"Are you alright?" Dakota asked

"It's either allergies or the damn plague, but I'm fine" Katara replied

"Well I know for a fact that you don't get allergies down here so you know what that means" Nyssa said

"Nyssa, I'm fine, really!" Katara tried before coughing again "I'll have something like a lead up in a few minutes"

"We can finish that up, but no matter what you think, you're not going to be helping us once you start to get affected by the delirium" Nyssa said

"Delirium?" Dakota questioned

"Long story, I'll tell you later" Nyssa said before turning back towards Katara "C'mon, you're going home and you're going to stay there with Asher"

"Fine, but promise that if anything happens or you need anything, that you'll call me so I can help out" Katara bargained

"Okay, I'll let you know what's going on, but you should focus on fighting off the virus"

"S.T.A.R labs should be contacting soon with a progress report on the virus" Katara said as Nyssa gave her a hand up out of the chair

"Dakota and Dig can take care of that. Speaking of which, where is Dig?"

"He's taking care of some stuff in the firearm storage" Katara replied

"Good to know, now let's get going. I really don't want to carry you home"

"You can't carry me"

"That's what they all said" Nyssa replied before turning towards Dakota "Will you start working up those leads?"

"Yeah, I'll do that" Dakota said as he plopped down in one of the chairs on the platform

Nyssa knew that what remained of the team was in good hands, so she got into the elevator with Katara and before she knew it, they were already going up, back to the area where the virus was the strongest

-(=+=)-

Around an hour had passed since Nyssa had left the bunker with Katara and now she was walking towards the hidden elevator to get back down. Nyssa ran her finger along the underside of the wooden mid wall trim of the old campaign office and when she hit a small, hidden button, the wooden wall opened up, revealing a very modern looking elevator. Nyssa walked inside and after pressing the button for going down, she pulled out her phone to confirm how much time had gone by. It was almost eleven thirty, which meant she would have to get home and back to Oliver and William.

The elevator doors opened up and Nyssa walked inside the bunker to see Dakota and Dig both working at separate computer stations, and thankfully, neither of them looked sick

"You better not be bringing the virus in here sis" Dakota said without looking at her

"I'm pretty sure I'm clean" Nyssa said as she jumped up on the platform with them "So what's going on?"

"We're still working up a lead on Amon, but we're getting really close with a definite location after getting some assistance from my people back in Isfara" Dakota replied "Maybe if we're lucky, we'll get to find the traitorous bastard tonight. I've already got a plane in route"

"Hmm, someone's getting prepared" Nyssa said

"How's Katara?" Dig asked

"She just started going delirious when we got to her house. Thank goodness it doesn't completely cloud their judgement because Asher knew enough to just keep it on the down low. Unlike Oliver and William, he was reading a book….upside down, but at least it's better than conducting business meetings about friendships with trees" Nyssa replied

"I definitely need a back story" Dakota said with a small laugh

"You can have it when this whole thing is over" Nyssa replied

"Can I at least get a-" Dakota started, but was stopped by a beeping on a large, slanted computer screen off to the side of the platform

Nyssa walked over and saw that someone was trying to set up a video call. The address of the call was a sight that Nyssa had been waiting for hours to see and when she did, a flood of relief entered her body

"You have no idea how glad I am that you called" Nyssa said after accepting the call

"Yeah, well sooner is better than later" Cisco said "I know you've got a bunch of things going on down there in Star City so I'll keep it short. We created samples of the cure for the virus and we would give them to you, but considering that the whole city's been infected, we've come up with a way to mass produce it over night"

"How long will it take to get enough for the city?" Nyssa asked

"Probably around eight hours. We'll call again when we have a decent supply and you can come pick them up" Cisco said before looking towards Dig, who was standing a bit behind Nyssa "And you can take your kids back as well, but Iris and Caitlin are really enjoying themselves"

"I know, but I want my kids to stay safe until the virus is completely gone" Dig replied

"Okay, but still, the chances of them actually catching the virus are pretty slim" Cisco said

"What do you mean?" Nyssa questioned

"The virus isn't something like a normal code. It's like a modified version of uncomplicated malaria, but instead of being spread by a mosquito, it has a central dispatch location and spreads like a bio weapon" Cisco explained

"Bio weapon?" Dakota asked

"Um, who's that?" Cisco asked

"Dakota, my brother. I'll explain later if you want to hear" Nyssa started "But how exactly does the virus spread?"

"Well like I said, it's not by mosquito but it actually targets certain genetic patterns that are commonly found in people with a strong Caucasian ancestry" Cisco said

"Which explains while neither of us have it" Dakota said "We both have pure middle eastern ancestry except for a tiny bit of Caucasian"

"I'm mostly African, but a little bit of mix here and there" Dig said

"Your kids will be more susceptible to the virus than you are, Dig" Cisco said "So we can keep them safe up here if you'd like"

"Yes, keep them with you guys" Dig said

"Okay then, I need to go start the replication and mass production thing. I'll call you when we have the amount ready and you can come pick it up" Cisco said

"Great, thank you so much Cisco" Nyssa said before ending the call "Alright, so it looks like we all have a natural immunity"

"And good thing for it" Dakota said with a small sigh "Now we don't really have to worry…for a bit"

"Yeah, that's going to be-" Nyssa start, but stopped when Dakota's phone started vibrating

"We got it! We got a definite location on Amon! My men have eyes on him right now!" Dakota said, almost like he was cheering

"Finally! Let's go before he gets away!" Nyssa said as she and Dig practically ran towards their suites

"Okay, but we need a plan" Dakota said, who was already dressed and ready "Amon's not a simple target and I doubt he came alone"

"Well then I guess there's going to be a storm tonight. I big one…with lots of lightning" Nyssa said while pulling her quiver over her back

"You're going to use the sword powers?"

"If absolutely necessary, then yes, I will not hesitate to use them if it guarantees the safety of the city"

"Fair enough, but we need to move out now" Dakota said

By the time Dakota finished his sentence, Dig had just put on his helmet and Nyssa sheathed her sword. With all three of them ready, Dakota grabbed the information they needed for getting to the location, then led the small team out of the bunker and towards their next battle

-(=+=)-

Nyssa, Dakota, and Dig all stood up on the rooftop that over looked the abandoned office complex that Amon was hiding out in. From where they were standing, Dakota could see some of his assassins scattered around and sending hand signals to one another. From reading their movements, Dakota knew that Amon was still in there.

"He's still in there" Dakota finally announced "And based on what the assassins are signally, he's in there with a group, but not a large one"

"So do we rush him?" Dig asked

"No, he knows better than that. If we want to get in, we have to think backwards…he was always an interesting character in that way" Dakota said "We need to try coming in through the windows"

"Or, you know, I could just teleport us inside around a story below. That could get us in without a sound, but there will be some fire" Nyssa said

"That's better than shattering windows" Dakota said "Same as last time?"

"Yeah, just give me a second" Nyssa replied

Nyssa extended her hand and let a small flame escape from her fingertips. The airborne fire took the form of a bird, then hovered in front of the three

"What floor?" Nyssa asked

"Seventh" Dakota said

The bird didn't need instructions, but rather, acknowledged what Nyssa was thinking before it started to circle around the three. A blinding white light erupted from the growing flames, forcing them to all close their eyes and when they did, they all felt a warm rush of air. Nyssa opened her eyes first and found that they were in the office building's seventh floor, as expected, and that all of them were still in good health

"So are you going to pull an occasional Oliver and try to make this a production?" Dig asked as they made their way towards the stairwell

"No, I don't have any personal connections to Amon, not anymore. When he betrayed the order, he threw away any chance of coming back and after this stunt, I should have his head" Dakota replied

"But you won't take your revenge" Nyssa observed

"Killing's not always necessary. Besides, the time he would have to serve out in prison would be far greater than any man could receive for crimes such as his own" Dakota said

Nyssa and Dig both understood what he was saying and didn't question it when they came to the door that led to the eighth floor. He glanced down at his phone, then back at the door as he grabbed the bow Nyssa gave him, snapped the limbs out, nocked an arrow, and pointed it at the door

"Dig, open the door" Dakota warned, almost in a whisper

Dig leaned over and pushed down on the handle of the door. He gave a forceful push in, unlocking the door, then Dakota kicked it open, almost snapping it off the hinges. The loud noise grabbed the attention of the assassin like figures in the main hall but as soon as they turned towards the source, they were met by several arrows in the chest. Dakota continued to fire at them and because there were only eight, he was able to get them all rather quickly. As soon as he shot the last one down, Dakota turned around to face his other two team mates. He was about to say something, but then saw Nyssa nock an arrow and fire it behind him. Dakota's head snapped around in a split second and saw one of the bandits on the ground with an arrow going through his heart

"You didn't look behind you" Nyssa smirked as she straightened her veil

"Well thanks for doing it for me, but I could have taken him" Dakota smirked

"Yeah, that's what you want us to believe" Nyssa joked

The light hearted mode quickly diminished as the three of them continued down the hallway. They were met by a few more assassins, but because of the combined skill level of the remaining members of team arrow, they were all taken down swiftly. It wasn't long before they came to the door that lead to the main area where Amon would be

"Make sharp and precise moves. Amon does have a brain" Dakota warned

Nyssa and Dom both nodded in agreement as they readied their weapons. Dakota drew his sword out and before even touching the door, he listened in for a second. It was dead quiet; a neutral sign. He turned towards his team mates and gave a small signal to them, telling them to storm on his count. Dakota held up three fingers and as soon as he dropped the last one, the three of them all burst into the room, but were surprised to only find one man standing there, looking at the city from a cracked window

"I have to admit Dakota, this is a bit under your pay, isn't it _Menae_?" The man asked, but didn't turn around to face the three

"Amon, turn around. Enough games" Dakota demanded, but Amon just turned around slowly with a smirk

"I'm impressed. I didn't think you would find assistance with your sister" Amon said "Too bad she's the only real family you have left. It's really going to hurt when I kill her, just like how it hurt me when you killed my father in cold blood!"

"Your father was the leader of a gang organization! I wasn't going to risk it, not when he was holding a fellow brother at gun point" Dakota sneered "I would expect you to know that we spare the lives of the innocent"

"See, but assassins are never following rules. Guidelines change as often as the wind shifts directions. It's unpredictable, but I would expect you to know that you don't turn on your family, not matter the cost"

"So you're willing to die to avenge your father?"

"He was my father! You wouldn't know what to expect from a father; after all, you were raised by women. Every morning, I woke up and the first thing I thought of was what I was going to do with Dad that day. In the afternoon, I would wonder when he would teach me something new, and in the evening, I would ask myself if I was happy. The answer was yes! Every single time! And you deprived me of that! Now, you're going to pay!"

Amon immediately ran towards Nyssa and Dakota. Dig tried to get a few shots on him, but because Amon was wearing the traditional white, black and gold order armor, the attacks were useless. While they fought, Amon reached to his back and pulled off something that looked like a collapsible bo staff, but when he extended it and gave it a small flick, the twins saw that it was more like a double sided glaive. Amon twirled it around himself, pairing each of the twins attacks, but as they went on, Nyssa noticed an opening in his stance. Amon's foot was crooked whenever he jumped back. Nyssa pointed this out to Dakota, who acknowledged it, then took the offensive lead. Dakota started to go for higher attacks and while Amon was distracted with that, Nyssa slipped her foot in between his, curled it around a bit, then pulled it back. The sudden sweep caused Amon to fall onto his face, ending the fight instantly when Nyssa put her sword to his neck

"You have the nerve to threaten my brother, come to my city, and release a virus!?" Nyssa demanded as she pressed her blade further into the side of his neck "How dare you think of yourself as that important"

"Bring them in" Dakota said as he put his phone back down "Assassins are in route, ready to bring Amon back to Isfara"

"Good, I don't ever want to see you again" Nyssa growled while staring down at Amon "Although I have to compliment you, you were fighting better than three of the members of our team bounded together

"Have some experience with that?" Dakota questioned

"Plenty" Nyssa replied

It wasn't long after before some members of the order came in with weapons drawn, just in case. They saw Amon on the floor and at Nyssa's sword, so a portion of them went over and started tying Amon's hands together so he couldn't try to escape later

"Thank you for this, sister" Dakota said as the assassins dragged Amon out "I know this was pretty straight forward and I could have done this one my own easily, but thank you for helping"

"It's not a problem. I'll always be here if you need me…me and the league" Nyssa smirked, but then her eyes wandered over to the glaive that was lying on the floor from Amon "But I'm keeping this as a wall mount"

"Understandable" Dakota laughed "Now let's get out of here. My assassins and I will take Amon back to Isfara, where the whole council will properly deal with him. Right now, I believe your husband and son are expecting you to be home"

"Yes! Yes you're right! We need to get moving!" Nyssa said as she almost ran out of the room

"She'll never change in that sense" Dig said with a small sigh of admiration as Nyssa hurried out of the room

"She's just the type of person who loves her family…deeply" Dakota said with a soft smile

With that said, Dakota and Dig both followed Nyssa down the stairwell and outside the office complex. They were about to head off towards the bunker when one of them spoke up

"Hey sis?" Dakota asked, immediately drawing her attention

"Is something wrong?" She asked as she turned around to face him

"No, no it's just….I really don't know how to apologize for all of this"

"We just went over this less than two minutes ago and I forgave you"

"I know, but I still can't help but think that something like this may happen again, and all because of me"

"Dakota" Nyssa said as she put a hand on his shoulder "It's about time you realize that not everything is within your control. You did what was necessary and sometimes there are people that have differing opinions. Their specific opinion doesn't matter, but it's how you handle it that does. You came here, you helped fix your mistake, and now the city is going to be back to normal soon. Besides, there's no way to avoid situations like this. We're both the heads of international organizations of assassins so it's not going to all be a walk in the park"

"For someone that didn't grow up with actual parent figures, you're quite good at giving pep talks"

"I have experience" Nyssa said with a slight smile "But like I said, thank you for coming out here and not leaving me on my own"

"No problem" Dakota smiled "I hate to break this up, but I should probably get going. Since I'm part of the council, I get a say in what happens to Amon and I'd like to see justice done"

"That's all good. Besides, it's not like I'm not going to see you in less than two weeks"

"What do you mean?"

"It's thanksgiving so Oliver and I thought that you should come on by and celebrate with us and a couple members from the team"

"Woah, I don't even know what to say" Dakota said with an excited expression growing on his face "You're actually inviting me?"

"It would be weird not to. You're my brother after all" Nyssa started with a small laugh "So would you like to?"

"Yes, yes of course!" Dakota said with almost a laugh at the end "Yeah, I'll be coming"

"Great, but don't you have a group to catch up with?"

"Yeah, I can catch up to them in a minute. I'd at least like to say bye to my sister"

"I suppose that could be arranged"

The two twins extended their arms towards one another and gave a friendly hug. When they pulled away, both just smiled at each other without saying anything

"William's going to be a bit mad when he learns that his uncle was in town but didn't get to see him" Nyssa said

"Apologize to William on my behalf and tell him that it will be worth the wait" Dakota said with a small laugh "I'll see you on thanksgiving then?"

"Yeah, see you then" Nyssa smiled with a small wave

Dakota spared her one last glance before turning around and chasing after the group of assassins that had led Amon towards the plane. Nyssa turned around and walked down a small alley, where she found Dig waiting

"Everything go alright with him?" Dig asked

"Yeah, just had to invite him to thanksgiving dinner" Nyssa said "It's going to be an interesting year"

"From what you've told us about him, it certainly will be" Dig said, then his eyes wandered to the glaive that Nyssa was holding in her left hand "I can't believe you actually kept that"

"Well I want to learn how to use it properly. From what I know, it's similar to a bo staff but combined with a sword"

"I bet fifty bucks that William or Zoe will call it a light saber. Like one of those double stick things?"

"I haven't seen Star Wars so I don't know why that is significant, or what a 'lightsaber' is" Nyssa confessed

"I'm telling Oliver and he can fix that, immediately"

"Fine, but let me get him that cure from Star Labs first. His delirium would only get worse after that"

"Okay, but I'm holding you to it"

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't"

-(=+=)-

"Oliver? William?" Nyssa called into the house

"Is that boss lady?" A voice said with a yawn from the family room

Nyssa walked towards the voice and when she entered the area it came from, she saw Oliver and William kneeling in front of the coffee table, where they had a couple decks of cards set up like they had been playing blackjack or poker. While William was all spread out on the floor, half asleep, Oliver was curled up on the couch underneath a blanket

"Hey, it is boss lady" William said as he looked up towards Nyssa "How ya doin'? Did you get the donuts?"

"No, they were all out unfortunately, but they said that there would be some more ready in the morning" Nyssa started "So why don't you two try to fall asleep and when you wake up in the morning, the donuts will be ready for eating"

"This is why she's the boss lady!" Oliver said in a tired tone, but his voice was muffled by the blanket

"Okay, but you're paying?" William asked

"Yes, I'm paying" Nyssa said with a small smile "Now you can either sleep down here or up in your room"

"Down here with you guys, definitely" William said with a small groan as he got up from the floor

Nyssa helped him up on the couch and found a thick blanket that he could use. Once the two other members of her family were sitting still, Nyssa started to clean up the card mess. With all of that put away, Nyssa decided to join her husband and son, so she sat down in one of the chairs by the couch, picked her legs up, and curled up slightly to keep herself warm. It was surprising just how comfortable the chair was and within a few minutes, all three of them were fast asleep.

-(=+=)-

Nyssa woke up to the sound of vibrating in her pocket. She groaned slightly as she opened her eyes and was met by the blinding sunlight. Nyssa quickly adjusted, then pulled out her phone. One look at the caller ID was all she needed to see

"Is it ready?" Nyssa asked when she picked up

 _"_ _Yeah, it's ready for you to come take to the city and disperse"_ Cisco said _"It took all night, but it's done"_

"Okay, um, how fast can you get it to the city because I can't use the 'teleportation', as you call it, to move all the boxes to the city"

 _"_ _We have the flash with us! We'll be down there in ten minutes"_

"Meet me at Starling General. We can get the cure spread out from there"

 _"_ _Will do. See you then"_

Nyssa quickly hung up the phone and while she was still bustling around, trying to get all the things she needed together, she finally noticed that Oliver was awake and watching her

"Hey beloved, I need to run a quick errand, then I'll be right back, okay?" Nyssa explained "And I can get donuts, just like I promised"

"You're great….I didn't really want to get up anyway" Oliver murmured

"Okay, you stay here with William. I'll be back soon"

With that, Nyssa quickly walked out of the door with the keys to the car in hand. She was excited for all of this to finally be over with and couldn't wait to get home and get her true Oliver and William back after all this time, which felt like weeks

-(=+=)-

Nearly two hours later, Nyssa walked back into the Queen residence with a couple things in hand; two syringes with the cure along with a white paper bag with two donuts, just like she promised. When Nyssa walked back into the room where she had left Oliver and William, she was happy to see that both were still asleep. Nyssa set the paper bag down on the counter of the kitchen, then walked back into the family room. First she went over to Oliver and gently shook his shoulder

"Hmmm?" Oliver asked in a slightly frustrated tone

"Beloved, I need you to sit up for me" Nyssa asked "This is really important"

"What's so important that you had to wake me up from my nap?" Oliver whined

"I know you've been sick for the past day and that you want to get better, which is why I got the cure from some very close friends"

"Okay then…"

Oliver sat up and Nyssa pushed down the left sleeve of his light gray tee shirt. She took the protective top off the syringe and set it on the table before approaching Oliver's upper arm with the needle. He could see it out of the corner of his eye and flinched slightly, but Nyssa saw his attempt not to squirm, so she sped up the process. Oliver tried to squirm a second time, but when he finally tried, he found that the needle was already leaving his arm

"You never tell me these things are going to hurt" Oliver said with a slight pout

"I'm sorry beloved, but I didn't want you to get scared" Nyssa said before walking over to William

"I saw what you did to him and I don't want it!" William said, acting like a five year old who didn't want to eat their dinner

"If you take the shot, you can have one of the donuts that's in that bag over there" Nyssa said, motioning towards the white paper bag filled with baked delicacies

"Fine…." William said in defeat

Nyssa did a similar process with William, but much quicker so he didn't have any possible opportunity to hit her away. Thankfully, Nyssa was already pulling the needle out when William squirmed the first time

"Is that thing supposed to make us tired?" William asked with a small yawn

"I'm not sure, but go ahead and get some rest. The donuts will be waiting for you when you wake up" Nyssa reminded

Just like little kids, both boys got excited by the word 'donut' and it honestly fascinated Nyssa. Perhaps actually stopping by a donut shop earlier in the morning was a good idea. After all, it made excellent bait

-(=+=)-

 _Star City has been blessed by a miracle once more. As a result to the outbreak of a virus doctors are calling 'Heteropolyosis', few people were left uninfected. One of which included Mayor Queen's wife, Nyssa Queen, who worked closely with STAR labs to create a cure. This cure was made in less than forty eight hours and according to those who have already used it, it does work. The most fortunate part of this is that the cure is free to all so that no one else in the city remains sick_

Nyssa smiled slightly as she turned off the TV in the family room. She stretched backwards a little bit before sitting back down on the couch. Almost as soon as she sat down, Nyssa noticed the blanket moving from William's couch. She looked over and saw that he was picking his head up and looking around the room strangely

"Mom, why do I feel like….I don't even know what this is, but it seems like it's a hangover" William groaned as he sat up

"You caught the virus just like your father and I just gave you both the cure less than two hours ago" Nyssa explained

"Well I guess it works" William smiled "I'm going to go take a shower. I feel all sticky, sweaty, and in a dog like spirit"

"Okay buddy, You do that. I'll wait out here" Nyssa said

William nodded his head and walked up the stairs and into his room where his bathroom was connected. While he was up there taking a shower, Nyssa pulled out her phone and started reading the group chat. It was filled with lots of stories regarding each other's experience while delirious, but that wasn't what grabbed Nyssa's attention. She quickly turned to her side and saw Oliver's blankets moving too.

When Oliver picked his head up, it took a moment for him to adjust to the light, but eventually, he could see rather clearly. He saw that he was still in the house, but then looked over towards Nyssa

"Hey Nys" Oliver smiled

"Oh thank god you're back to yourself!: Nyssa said happily as she gave Oliver a warm hug

Oliver happily returned it and when they pulled away, both smiled at each other. Nyssa was glad to have her Oliver back and Oliver was glad to be able to be back with Nyssa

"So how did you end up getting the cure?" Oliver asked

"After you and William both ell sick, I went back to the bunker and Dakota decided to show up. A rouge member of the Celestial Order betrayed him after some family drama, like Justin Claybourne and Adrian Chase drama, but Dakota, Dig and I all stepped up and took him down since the rest of the team was sick. Dakota was able to get everyone back to Isfara and I did invite him to the house for the thanksgiving feast. He said yes!"

"It's not a problem. We have a very large table now a days so the more the merrier" Oliver started "Well, it's good to know that even when I'm not the one outside calling the shots, that the team can still be held together under one leader, so thank you Nys"

"You don't have to thank me for that Beloved. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat" Nyssa replied with a smile "Are you feeling alright now or is there still some lingering feeling?"

"Pretty good for the most part, but really hungry"

"There are two donuts on the counter. One is for you and one's for William"

"You are just plain amazing" Oliver smiled as he kissed her, then walk over to the counter "Maple bar! Sweet!"

Nyssa just smiled slightly as Oliver started to eat the donut while standing at the counter. As he was doing that, Oliver's thoughts while he was delirious where sticking in Nyssa's head almost like glue. She couldn't just scrape it out and unfortunately, it showed

"Hey, are you alright?" Oliver asked as he turned around to see Nyssa a bit hunched over like she was thinking

"Yeah, just, a lot is on my mind" Nyssa replied casually

"Nys, I know when you're lost in thought versus when something's wrong. Something's wrong, so I want you to tell me what it is" Oliver said in a kind yet stern tone.

"Tressa"

"Tressa?" Oliver asked

"When you were still delirious, you said the name Tressa and that she was important these days. You also said that we need a calendar up in the kitchen with everyone's activities"

"N-Nyssa, I-I…."

"Tell me beloved" Nyssa said as she turned over to face him, rather sharp expression on her face "You still want kids, don't you?"

Oliver was silent. There were so many things he could say at that moment to get around it but he felt like the truth needed to be spoken, and that right there was the perfect sign, meaning the talk they had both feared in a way was upon them, and there was no escape

"Yes" Oliver started "Yes, I do"

 **Author's Note: Two things!**

 **1\. Amon/Antagonist-So the point of having Amon in the story was basically for the plot to move on. The actual plot wasn't focused on Amon and the virus, but rather Nyssa and Dakota's current relationship along with the little talk between Oliver and Nyssa**

 **2\. Cover Art! I finally got to make some really good cover art so check that out! I was getting tired of people not being able to see what I'm describing which is where the cover came from. Hope you like it!**


	35. Combat Versus Politics

"You still want kids, don't you?" Nyssa asked from the couch

"Yes, yeah I do" Oliver replied after a few moments of silence

Nyssa let out a small sigh as she got up from the couch and started walking out of the room, but Oliver could see the mixed emotions on her face and walked after her.

"Nyssa, wait!" Oliver called as he grabbed her arm "I didn't mean to make you angry or anything it's just-"

"You lied to me" Nyssa started "When I came home after finding out about Elena and we talked. We both agreed that this wouldn't be brought up again because we had concluded that having a child wasn't a good idea. We agreed and that was the end of it so why did you keep it from me?"

"Because you made it clear that you didn't want to have a child, but I don't get it"

"Don't get what?"

"Last time we talked, you said the biggest problem was neglecting the child which is basically why we decided not to have one, but I think between the two of us we would be able to raise one just fine"

"Oliver, that's hardly true"

"No really, you only really have to go to Finiks Jurf every three days or so and even when you do go it's only for a few hours. In those few hours, I could stay home with the son or daughter and there you go! We have a solution"

"You really don't get it, do you?" Nyssa asked, slightly annoyed

"Get what? Are you uncomfortable with actually having a child?"

"No, it's not that" Nyssa started "The league isn't just something you 'check in' on every three days. It's not like a pet corn snake that you feed every five days. The league is more like….it's like a child. You're there every step of the way to make sure that things are done right and when you just leave for an extended period of time, there's no guarantee that things will play out correctly"

"Well surely Elena could handle it if you would need time off"

"Oliver! She's almost five months pregnant with twins! What on earth makes you think that it would be any easier for her and Andrew?!" Nyssa snapped

"I'm sorry but she and Andrew both seem really understanding and would probably be more than willing to take over for a bit"

"I was the one who started the league. I'm the one who's been there to help it grow from almost nothing. What kind of person would I be if I just abandoned it because I wanted to have a child?" Nyssa started "Compared to me, it seems like you have it easy. Your job is ideal! You get to wake up every morning, have a structured routine, drive less than ten minutes to city hall, work for about nine hours, then come home and repeat that the next day"

"But you do almost the same thing!" Oliver argued, but made sure he didn't have a tone "We all wake up around the same time, we get ready, and while I take William to school, you leave for Finiks Jurf. I come home around six fifteen and at most, I have to wait two hours before you get home. I don't really see where the big problem is with altering the schedule a bit"

"Finiks Jurf is in northern Norway. That's halfway across the world, ten time zones, and over 6500 miles a day for just a one way trip!"

"Yeah, but you basically teleport there every day"

"Sure, but that doesn't change the fact that Finiks Jurf is ten hours ahead in the day! The only way I can be there and still be with you and William as an actual member of the family is if I'm in Finiks Jurf from six in the evening to six in the morning! But like normal people, everyone there sleeps during the night when I'm there so almost nothing gets done"

"You've told me that you're usually productive when you're there"

"I tell you what you want to hear"

"Wait, why?" Oliver asked "Why would you lie to me?"

"You've made it clear that being the mayor, being the Green Arrow, raising a son, and staying a faithful husband in incredibly stressful on your part so what kind of wife would I be if I just started complaining to you about how I'm spending my day?" Nyssa asked, not receiving an answer "Right, wouldn't be very considerate"

"But a change would be easy, wouldn't it?" Oliver spoke up "I mean, you're basically sparring all day, occasionally working with Nazaria, and checking in on some of the troops you have dispatched around the world"

"You still don't get it, do you?" Nyssa asked "Although we share half a name, the League of Assassins is nothing like the Phoenix League. Unlike my father, we do things in a way where we can't screw something up in the country we're working in and with all the countries we've got assassins in, do you have any idea how hard that is?!"

"Okay, so you have some law checking, sparring, spot practice, and a couple other little things so-"

"Little things?" Nyssa questioned with a small scoff "Even after I've tried to explain this to you, you still don't get it. Running the league isn't a nice cup of tea on a Sunday afternoon"

"Then tell me what else there is to know so I can understand"

"Even if I told you everything that I'm supposed to do, you still wouldn't get it until you're actually there" Nyssa started, but then her eyes lit up ever so slightly "But you might get an idea if you were there"

"What are you talking about"

"Tomorrow starts a new week. William's going to be off at school and while he is, we both go to our 'separate' jobs. I know you still have a sick day left for this month so you can either come with me this month or next month. Your choice"

"You want me to come with you to Finiks Jurf?"

"Sure, I mean, you won't actually understand until you experience it for yourself" Nyssa replied "Oh, and you'll want to dress warm. Like really warm"

"Why? How cold does it get?" Oliver asked with an eyebrow raised

"We're in the negative twenties right now"

"Wow, I don't think I have a coat that can accommodate for that" Oliver said with a small laugh "How exactly are you getting by every day?"

"You build up something like a tolerance over time" Nyssa started before walking towards the exit of the room

"Wait, where are you going?"

"The day's just beginning and the city is being cured of the plague. The mayor is going to have to make a statement and I need to get to the bunker to make sure the team's alright"

"I can do that if you'd like"

"How are you going to be a city hall and the bunker at the same time?" Nyssa asked "I'll take the team since I can't step in a mayor for you"

"Hmm, maybe you should see what it's like to be the mayor for a day"

"Nah, I'm sure I'll get my point across after tomorrow"

Oliver simply rolled his eyes as he and Nyssa broke off in different directions. While Nyssa walked upstairs to get a thicker coat, Oliver turned back towards the counter and picked his maple bar back up. It wasn't every day you get a maple bar from the city's favorite donut shop, so when you do, it's best you enjoy it while it lasts.

When Nyssa walked back downstairs, William was following behind her with a light backpack swung over his shoulder. Oliver looked at his son with curiosity, but then he remembered what that bag was used for

"Going out to the woods with Tom and Jasper?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, but Kaida's going to join us. Maybe Zoe later on" William explained "It's alright that I go, right? None of them had caught that illness and I was the only one that did. Apparently I said some pretty weird stuff in the group chat and most of it has become a joke…"

"I don't see a problem with it" Oliver said before turning to Nyssa "You?"

"It's fine by me, just be home in time for dinner and call if there's a change in your plans" Nyssa replied

"Great! Thanks!" William said before walking towards the door "Oh, and Jasper said that we would all meet at the park around two blocks from here so that's where I'll be if I'm not off in the forest with my pals"

"Pals? That word is still in use?" Oliver asked with a slight chuckle "That's a word back from my day"

"Yeah, at least, on occasion it is" William replied before glancing down at his watch "Shoot! I have to get going or else I'm going to be late! See you tonight!"

"Bye buddy!" Oliver called after him but once he was out the door, he turned towards Nyssa

"You're not ready to go?" Nyssa asked

"Go where?"

"City hall…? Don't you have to give a statement…?"

"Right! Right, I forgot about that" Oliver started "But if you wanted me to remember, you shouldn't have got a maple bar. Wait a minute, William forgot his donut"

"Guess he can save it for later tonight" Nyssa said "But you need to get moving. If I'm right, then you have less than an hour to get to city hall"

"Okay, I'm going!" Oliver said with a slight chuckle, but then turned back around to face her "You still mad?"

"Yes"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Isn't that what we just did less than five minutes ago?"

"There was a cool down. Maybe we could try it again"

"You have a job to get to" Nyssa said as she started walking towards the basement "And I have a team to put back together"

"Nyssa, just hold on a second"

"Oliver, please" Nyssa said in a slightly sharper tone with her back turned towards him "Just…leave it alone for now"

With those words now in the open, both of them let a moment of silence pass before Nyssa continued down to the basement. Oliver just sighed as he walked upstairs to get changed into something a bit more decent, hoping that everything would go back to normal by nightfall

-(=+=)-

Oliver parked the car a block away from city hall in order to get away from the media. He didn't want them getting ahold of his personal license plate. He pulled the keys out of the ignition and before getting out of the car, he reached into the back seat and picked up his jacket. Oliver climbed out of the car and as he walked down the sidewalk, he kept his head down and hands in his pockets. When he wrapped around the corner, the media was gathered near the area where the cure was being handed out to the last few waves of people in order to get the last big part of the scoop; the mayor's address. Oliver was still walking towards the main entrance when he caught sight of someone he had actually hoped to see that day.

John was standing off to the side of the S.T.A.R labs van that was handing out the last of the cure, talking with Cisco when he caught sight of Oliver off to the side

"Oliver" Dig called with a small smile

"John" Oliver said as he started to approach "Cisco"

"Hey man" Cisco greeted "Glad that cure's really working. Heard you came down with whatever virus that was"

"Yeah and apparently there were some side effects people were none too pleased with" Oliver muttered

"#TreesAreFriends" Dig chuckled

"It was the delirium" Oliver groaned

"Of course Mr. Queen. Should I consult Mr. Clayton about it instead?"

"Apparently he's got a text chain between his friends and he was on it when he was sick"

"Oooh, I'd love to read that" Cisco chucked "But! I can't do that now! I've got a job to get back to. Talk to you two later?"

"Yeah, see you around Cisco" Oliver replied as he and Dig started walking off "So what were you doing here?"

"I got the kids back from Caitlin and Iris, who are passing out the cure in another part of town, and then took one of the syringes back home and gave it to Lyla. She was fine but told me to come down here and help Cisco before another rush came through" Dig explained "I'm guessing you're here for the statement"

"Yeah, just the statement"

"You seem off. Did something happen"

"It's Nyssa"

"What about her?"

"We….fought"

"What about? How bad was it?"

"Apparently I said something while I was delirious…"

"What'd you say?"

"Tressa"

"Tressa?" Dig questioned "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I've always told myself that if I ever have a child, that I'd want to name her Tressa if it was a girl. When I was still with Felicity, kids weren't really a priority, but that name still stuck. After Nyssa and I started dating, the subject never actually came up about having kids because William was our kid but right before the sirens took him, we talked about having kids and she told me that she physically couldn't do it with everything going on so we pushed it aside"

"Where are you going with this man?"

"I asked her when Tressa was coming home and told her that we needed to get a schedule posted with all our kids' activities"

"So she asked you about it and you told her your honest answer"

"That I wanted to have another kid" Oliver finished "I know it may seem selfish in some ways, but in some ways it makes me sad to just see one kid in the house and I had always envisioned myself, a beautiful wife, and three kids sitting in a summery backyard. Nyssa was a bit pissed off that I kept it from her and when I tried to justify my side, she snapped"

"Like what kind of snap?" Dig started "Lyla has three different types of 'snaps'. The 'Shut up I'm trying to concentrate' snap, the 'You're talking too much' snap, and the 'I've had enough of your arguments' snap. Which one fits Nyssa?"

"Probably the third one, but I guess it's also a mix of the second one"

"Ahh, I see" Dig said with a slight smirk "If I were you, I would just try to give her some room and come back when you've both given it a few hours"

"I tried to justify how we could have a child and make sure that the child gets the attention they deserve, but apparently I pushed it too far and…"

"And what?"

"She wants me to come with her to Finiks Jurf tomorrow to see that it's not all just a nice afternoon of tea"

"And you're going, right?"

"I mean, I'm hesitant but it's Nyssa. I just don't know what to do about William"

"Rene would probably be able to give him a ride to school. He and Zoe are really good friends from what I hear. Maybe more than friends…?"

"He's too young to start thinking about those things but if he is, then we're going to need to have a little chat" Oliver started "But yeah, if Rene could take William to school with Zoe, that would work out perfectly"

"Guess you better go inside and talk to him before your statement" Dig reminded "He's inside with Quentin and Thea from what I've heard"

"Okay good. Thanks Dig"

"No problem. See you tonight?"

"I actually think it's you, Lenora, and Curtis doing the patrol tonight"

"Sounds good to me. You could probably use the night off" Dig said "See you tomorrow night then"

"Right, see you later John"

Dig spared one final wave before walking off towards the main roads while Oliver started walking towards the main entrance of city hall. He was greeted by a few people as he got into the elevator, but once he stepped out and onto the main floor, Oliver made quick getaway to his office. To his surprise, Quentin, Thea, and Rene were already in there

"Gad to see you made it, and only two minutes late" Quentin smirked "I was betting on at least a half hour"

"Well it's a miracle I got here when I did" Oliver muttered, but it didn't go unnoticed by Thea "So where are we at with the statement"

"Press is like a wake of vultures in the conference room. They're ready whenever you are" Rene replied

"Let's just get this over with" Oliver sighed as he walked towards the other door in his office

As soon as Oliver stepped into the conference room, cameras started going off like crazy and reporters started to rapid fire questions that he couldn't even hear over the chaos

"I, um" Oliver started as the room started to get quiet "I'd like to thank you all coming and we can get straight down to business. As everyone knows, this city has gone through yet another attack; a bioweapon attack. This would have gotten out of hands and much more dangerous if it weren't for the extensive efforts of the group of vigilantes….specifically the one known by the alias Phoenix. S.T.A.R labs has reported a collaboration with the vigilantes in order to provide the city with a cure so we have them to thank for this. I will be taking questions now"

"Mr. Mayor" A male reporter said as he stood up from his seat "Less than a month ago when your son, William, was kidnapped, you expressed gratitude to the vigilante group again. Is it possible that original assumptions of their intentions were unclear and that they are really here to help the city alongside the SCPD?"

"It is quite possible, but like I have said before; they are masked individuals and until we know everyone of their intentions, we should not trust them fully; however, due to recent circumstances, it would not be in our best interest to arrest them on sight" Oliver replied

"Going off the previous question" Another reporter, this time female, said as she stood up "Like previous cases, the vigilante that is referred to as Phoenix has lent a big hand in closing cases. Before, we've seen heavy activity from the vigilante known as the Green Arrow but that seems to have dwindled in the last few months, especially in larger events. Is it possible that the Green Arrow has stepped out of his line and that power of whatever team there is was passed down to Phoenix?"

"Like I said before, it is quite possible but we cannot confirm nor deny that conclusion until we have more information regarding the masked individuals" Oliver answered

"What is your personal opinion on the vigilante's recent activity?" Another reporter asked

"Originally, vigilantes were looked down upon as they created more problems in the city rather than fixes. As of late, I believe that something has changed and now they are really looking for a way to help. The Arrow did things incorrectly, but the Green Arrow seems to have learned from those mistakes and has used those lessons to better himself and his team" Oliver said "That will be all"

As he walked back into his office, more reporters suddenly jumped up, hoping to get one more answer from him but he had already left. When he entered his own office, he saw that Quentin and Rene both seemed satisfied with the answers he gave

"Now that that's out of the way, it's back to work for all of us" Quentin said "I need to go bother Tarren about some arrangements for the speech on Friday"

"And I need to go find Nathan and get some files to him before the end of the day" Rene said as he started walking out

"Wait, Rene?" Oliver questioned

"Yeah Hos?" Rene questioned

"I have a favor to ask for tomorrow"

"Okay then"

"Can you please take William to school tomorrow morning?"

"Why? You have something planned with Nyssa?"

"Sort of"

"Well what is it?"

"We had a little argument, I crossed a line I probably shouldn't have, and she thinks that the best way for me to understand her position is by living a day in her life so I'm going to Finiks Jurf with her"

"Woah, that's certainly….interesting" Rene started "But yeah, I bet Zoe wouldn't mind at all. She and William can just come to the apartment after school and work on homework, go bother their other friends if they'd like, and if you're not back by around five thirty, we can do something for dinner"

"You don't know how grateful I am that you're doing this" Oliver said "Thank you so much"

"No problem, but I'll want a favor back at some point"

"Name it"

"Well not now! I don't really need anything" Rene said as he walked over to Oliver's desk and grabbed a pad of sticky notes along with a pen. "I'll just keep this tally on my bulletin board and I can redeem them as I please"

Oliver looked at the note Rene was now holding up and saw that at the top of it, the words 'Favors to Redeem' was printed at the top. Right below, there was Oliver's name with one tally. Underneath that, there was also Quentin's name with two tallies, as expected from between the two

"Sounds good to me" Oliver concluded "Now I should get to work if I plan on taking a sick day tomorrow"

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll be where I normally am" Rene said as he walked out of the office

"Ollie" Thea said as she approached his desk "What's this I'm hearing about you and Nyssa fighting?"

"We, um" Oliver stammered "Yeah, we had a little fight this morning"

"About?"

"Kids"

"Oh"

"What?"

"I mean, I kind of expected that in some ways"

"What do you mean?"

"Did she tell you that story?"

"What story?"

"The one about the kid, in Kuwait?"

"What are you talking about"

"How is it that you're married to her but you don't know this story?" Thea questioned "Never mind. It's not my business so I should let her tell you instead of me. So what happened exactly?"

"I said some things while I was delirious about kids, she asked me about it once I was cured, I said I still wanted kids even though we agreed to not talk about it again, she got angry that I kept this from her, I tried to justify my position but ended up making things worse, and now she doesn't think I understand what a typical day for her looks like and why she can't, or won't, think about having a child"

"Well do you know what she does every day?"

"Spars, plans some coordinated attacks, checks in on the troops worldwide, and take a horseback ride in the evening"

"Did she tell you that's what she does?"

"Yes, wait, no not really...it's um, kind of difficult to explain"

"Let me guess" Thea said as she leaned over the desk "You were there a few times and based on what you saw, you tried to piece together pieces of information"

"That's actually exactly what I did…."

"Then that's your problem" Thea said in a wise tone "Go with her tomorrow, don't be a pain in the ass, and try to see her point of view"

"Okay, but I don't think she gets mine"

"And that's alright for now. Let her be the first to show you what her life is like, then if there's still a problem, bring her to the office on Tuesday and let her see what you do. I'm sure after that, you'd be able to figure something out"

"You're right" Oliver said with a small sigh "So you're okay with this?"

"More than okay. Just don't slack off when you come back and get those documents signed. I need them to move on with a small side project we're doing in the city's environmental protection service branch"

"I'll get right on that" Oliver started "And Speedy?"

"Yes?" Thea asked with her arms crossed and a victorious smirk across her face

"Thanks for the advice. Now a days, I'm wondering who the older sibling really is" Oliver said with a small laugh "I mean, I'm married and you're dating so I guess I should be the one who knows this stuff"

"I'm actually single but I'm a woman and you're not so that could have something to do with it"

"Wait, you broke up with Adrian?" Oliver questioned "How long ago? What did he do?"

"About a month ago. It wasn't anything big. We were both looking for a long term relationship and apparently, neither of us was finding in each other. We don't hate each other by any means, in fact, we still get lunch together as friends on occasion"

"Wow, I never would have known" Oliver said "I-I'm really sorry about that. I don't even know how I can try to justify my lack of knowledge and involvement in your life"

"Don't worry about it" Thea smiled "I'm still hunting so you may have a chance to beat up some douchebag that I come across if that makes you happy"

"How about you just don't date a douchebag" Oliver chuckled

"Now look who's giving the advice" Thea smiled "Anyway, I have to get back to work. You better have those files on my desk by three or else I'm going to be hunting for you"

"I'll keep that in mind" Oliver chuckled as Thea left the office

-(=+=)-

Oliver unlocked the front door to the house and stepped inside, out of the dropping temperatures outside. From the main entrance area, he could hear William laughing in his room and assumed he was playing video games with Tom and Jasper. It was already past nine and he had called ahead of time to let Nyssa know that he needed to stay behind a bit later, so she had come home a bit earlier to get dinner made.

Before going any further into the house, Oliver turned to his right and walked a little bit until he was outside his office. He stepped inside and as he was putting his bag down on his chair, he saw a post it note on his computer screen.

 _Leftovers in the fridge if you'd like some  
-Nys_

A smile crept up Oliver's face as he folded the small note and put it in his back pocket. Compared to his hand writing, Nyssa's was more like a generated font. Oliver usually wrote in small, but all caps, letters that looked like they were slopped down while Nyssa's was more like the papyrus font that he saw Thea using on occasion.

He stepped back out of the office and walked towards the living room. Oliver expected to find Nyssa sitting on the couch reading or something, but was surprised to see it was empty; however, he didn't have to look far. Out on the deck he saw Nyssa leaning over the railing in the dark. Oliver walked towards the glass door that lead to the outside and stepped out on the wooden deck.

"Hey" Oliver greeted as he walked closer

"Hey"

"What are you doing out here?"

"Just wanted to go somewhere quiet"

"Is it doing you any good?"

"It's been better than being inside"

"Okay then" Oliver said, letting the silence pass in between them for a minute "Are you still mad at me?"

"Can we please not talk about this right now?"

"Sure, but can we have a conversation while we're out here?"

"Yes…?"

"How was your day?"

"Normal. Yours?"

"Normal too. Did you stay in the bunker or did you end up going to Finiks Jurf?"

"I went to Finiks Jurf. If you are still coming tomorrow, I figured it was best to get a few things sorted out first so I didn't have to worry about them later"

"You didn't have to do that. The whole point of me going is to see a day in your life without modifying it too much" Oliver reminded

"I know, but it still needed to get done"

"I'll take your word for it" Oliver started "Rene agreed to take William to school tomorrow morning as well as letting him stay at his apartment until we get back"

"We'll have to find some way to repay him"

"He's already planning something"

Nyssa was about to reply, but a swift and stronger winter breeze blew past them. Both shivered slightly as it came and went, but Oliver glanced over and noticed that his wife was only wearing a long sleeve shirt and jeans

"Here" Oliver said as he took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders "If you plan on staying out a bit longer, you'll want to keep warm. I'll go and tell William about the small change tomorrow and meet you upstairs whenever you're ready"

"Okay" Nyssa muttered "Thank you"

"Not a problem at all" Oliver replied before walking inside "See you soon"

"Right, see you soon"


	36. Day As The Phoenix

The blaring alarm was what woke Oliver up with quite a bit of annoyance. He groaned as he rolled over to his other side and turned off the obnoxious beeping. Oliver pinched the bridge of his nose while looking up at the ceiling, but then glanced over to his left where Nyssa was supposed to be, but found her side of the bed empty and cold.

"Nys? You in here?" Oliver said to the empty bedroom, but heard no reply

Oliver sat up in bed and looked around. It was still dark outside and his clock read six in the morning. He knew that no matter how hard he tried, those numbers wouldn't go backwards so he got out of bed. First, Oliver walked out of the bedroom, while still dressed in his tee shirt and sweats, and walked into William's room. When he stepped inside, Oliver saw William still hidden underneath his covers, obviously fast asleep

"William, buddy" Oliver said as he nudged his shoulder "Time to get up"

"Just….ten more minutes….!" William groaned

"Sorry buddy, but you're going to have to leave a bit earlier this morning. Mr. Ramirez and Zoe are picking you up, remember?"

"Right, right yeah" William said as he sat up "It's Monday, right?"

"Yeah"

"Dam-dang it"

"Watch it" Oliver warned before walking out of the room "Oh! They'll be here at 7:40 to pick you up"

"Okay! Got it"

While William got out of bed, Oliver walked to the staircase and into the family room. To his surprise he didn't see anyone in there, or the kitchen. Oliver walked over to the area where his office was and where the piano was, but still didn't find Nyssa. The next stop was the basement, so he walked over to the door that led downstairs. Oliver only had to take a few steps down the stairs before he saw sitting at a small table that was set up near the corner of the room

"Nys?" Oliver asked once he had come to the bottom of the stairs "What are you doing?"

"Oliver" Nyssa said as she turned around "Wait, what time is it?"

"Little past six" Oliver replied "How long have you been down here?"

"Since two, maybe three. I couldn't sleep"

"And what's all this?" Oliver asked while looking at the map spread out in front of Nyssa "Is that Finiks Jurf?"

"Yeah. We're expanding and I needed to figure out how I wanted to position certain watch towers"

"Couldn't you have done that today?"

"I was supposed to do it yesterday but with everything currently going on, I didn't have time"

"You know, sleep is important too" Oliver said as he put his hands on her shoulders "You should try it"

"I can't sleep when I know something needs to be done. Believe me, I've tried" Nyssa replied

"You're writing in Greek again" Oliver said when he saw all the Greek scribes on the map

"Don't worry, they're just coordinates and details regarding the function of the area marked. Nothing you need to be concerned about" Nyssa started "I'm assuming William's p by now. Are you ready to go?"

"I'm in my sweats" Oliver said with a small laugh

"I know, just thought I'd ask" Nyssa said as she stood up "I'm going to go get changed. Oh, and you'll want to bring your suit or at least your old set of league armor. Do you have one of those with you?"

"Yeah, I had a feeling you would say that so I brought my suit home last night. It's upstairs in our room"

"Great, bring that with because if you just go dressed in that, you'll freeze your ass off"

"How warm should I dress?"

"You'll probably want your heavier coat, and maybe the next thickest one after that. Oh, and you'll want to also bring a hat and gloves. You'd be surprised just how fast you can freeze without the proper coverings" Nyssa said as she started walking up the stairs

"Wow, um, okay" Oliver said to himself before walking after her

It wasn't until around an hour and a half later when there was a knock at the door. Oliver, who had been leaning up against the counter with Nyssa while William sat at the counter eating his breakfast, got up and walked over to the door. He opened it and smiled when he saw a shorter brunette standing at the door with her father behind her

"Hi Mr. Queen!" Zoe greeted "Is William ready to go?"

"I think he will be in a minute. Why don't you two step inside. It's a bit chilly out there" Oliver said

"Thanks hos" Rene said once he and Zoe were inside

"No, thank you for doing this" Oliver said

"Not a problem at all. Zoe hates mornings but she was actually happy to get up today"

"Hmmm" Oliver said with a slight smirk "We'd better watch those two"

"I don't really have anything to worry about. William's a good kid and Zoe knows the rules. Maybe just a refresher every morning but I think she'll be okay" Rene started "But from what I hear, you're going to be stuck in negative degree weather today"

"Yeah, Nyssa said it got cold but I didn't think she meant that cold" Oliver said while trying not to shiver at the thought

"Well, at least you don't work there, or live there for that matter"

"Yeah, at least" Oliver trailed off "Did you want a coffee or something?"

"That would be pretty nice" Rene admitted

Oliver then led Rene into the kitchen, where Zoe, William, and Nyssa were. Nyssa was dressed in her league armor, but didn't have any weapons on her so it actually made her look like a normal person.

"Hey Nyssa" Rene greeted as he sat down at the counter

"Good morning Rene" Nyssa said "Thank you again for agreeing to take William today"

"It's not a problem, really. Although, Oliver, I will be redeeming that favor sometime this week" Rene said with a smirk

"Oh boy" Oliver chuckled "Can't wait"

"Don't worry, it's not as bad as you may expect" Rene said while Oliver slid him a coffee cup "Thanks hos"

"No problem" Oliver said before turning towards William, who was drinking the last bit of milk from his cereal bowl "You almost ready to go buddy?"

"Mmm!" William hummed before putting his bowl down "Yeah, let me get my stuff from upstairs"

"Hey Will" Zoe called "You got a little….something"

"What?"

"Milk mustache"

"Oh" William said before dragging his sleeve over his mouth "Did I get it?"

"Yeah, you're good" Zoe said while blushing slightly, but obviously William couldn't see it

"Cool, thanks!"

While Oliver, Nyssa, Rene, and Zoe were still in the kitchen, Oliver slipped his left hand behind him and subtly gave Nyssa a small high five. She merely turned towards him and smirked before giving her attention back to her cup of tea.

"So hos" Rene spoke up after taking a sip of his drink "Hmm, good coffee. Anyway, besides following Nyssa around all day, what are you two planning on doing in Finiks Jurf?"

"Not entirely sure. Nyssa's been pretty closed off about the whole thing" Oliver said while looking towards her

"You want to know what we're doing today?" Nyssa asked, receiving a small nod from Oliver "Okay then"

"Wait, you wrote it on your wrist?" Oliver asked when she pulled up her right sleeve

"I always write it on my wrist, then there's no way for me to forget because if I do, I'd probably screw someone over" Nyssa replied "Watch tower locations, EW medical protocol, Commanding position exams, my work with Nazaria, and we're going down to Kigoma today"

"Kigoma, where's that?" Rene asked

"Tanzania" Nyssa replied

"And you're just mentioning this now?" Oliver questioned with an eyebrow raised "I'm really starting to question your priorities"

"It's not anything big really. Our stationed troops have just been having a wildlife problem and we're going to be looking into it and then using those same methods across other bases around Africa and India to avoid future problem. Zayn and I are going down there but you're welcome to stay in Norway"

"No, I said that I'm going to go through a whole day like you do. I'll come too" Oliver replied

"Very well then" Nyssa said before taking another sip of her tea

"Shoot, look what time it is" Rene said "You ready to go Peanut?"

"Yeah, I left my stuff in the car" Zoe replied

"William!" Oliver called "You coming down?"

"Coming!" William shouted as he thudded down the stairs "I'm here! We're not late are we?"

"Nope, you're fine" Rene said "Why don't we get going so none of us are late this morning"

"Sounds good" William said before walking towards Oliver "Hey Dad, can you scoot over a little"

"Oh, right"

Oliver stepped to the side, allowing William access to the cupboard where he kept a box of his favorite granola bars. He took out one, stuffed it in his Flash backpack, then turned back towards Zoe and started walking towards the front door

"So you'll pick him up when you get back?" Rene asked

"Yeah, I'll swing by" Oliver said "Thank you again for doing this"

"Not a problem. See you tonight then"

"Bye Dad! Bye Mom!" William called before opening the door "Have fun in Norway!"

"Bye William! You and Zoe have fun today!"

"We will!" Zoe called back

Rene gave one last wave before stepping out the front door with the two teenagers. Once the door was closed, Oliver looked over towards Nyssa, who was still giving her full attention to the warm cup of tea in her hands

"You're more focused on that tea than you normally are" Oliver noted "Something wrong?"

"No, not especially"

"Nyssa"

"I'm fine, really" Nyssa started "But we need to get going too. You'll want to grab your suit and don't forget a hat. I'll meet you downstairs"

"Okay then"

While Oliver started walking upstairs to their room to get his things, Nyssa took one last sip of her tea, then started walking towards the basement after setting the cup in the sink. Since she had only a couple main weapons on her, Nyssa didn't keep it in a duffle bag like Oliver. Instead, she had a small rack set up where her sword, bow, quiver, and a couple knives were. One of the many perks of running a league was that you could have custom weapons made, so everyone of Nyssa's weapons was coordinated with a silver blade, a black base, and golden designs that matched the ones on her armor. While she was putting the last knife on her belt, she heard the sound of footsteps behind her

"I keep telling myself I need to get a rack like that" Oliver said "But I didn't forget a hat"

"Wonderful" Nyssa said before turning around

"Not trying to critique how you do things, but wouldn't you want to keep your hair down to keep you warm or something?"

"It gets in the way when fighting. Being a bit colder is better than losing my life" Nyssa replied "Are you ready to go?"

"Sure, ready as I'll ever be" Oliver said as he moved his duffle bag over his shoulder

"Great" Nyssa said as she stepped into the middle of the room "Stand close but still keep a safe distance"

"I thought we were just going by phoenix"

"We are, but there's fire involved and you should know that fire is dangerous"

"Right, right sorry"

Nyssa turned so she wasn't facing Oliver, then stomped only her heel on the ground. A small swirl of golden orange flames moved away from her foot, then Nyssa moved her right hand upwards. The flames that had been low to the ground followed her motion upwards, then with a simple action similar to pointing, the flames shot in Oliver's direction. They started to swirl around him, then Nyssa split the fire and it did the same to her. Oliver didn't have time to question anything before he saw the white light and felt the rush of warm air. When he opened his eyes, he and Nyssa were both standing in the main entrance hall of the league's base

"New trick" Oliver noted "How long have you known that?"

"About a week and a half" Nyssa replied

"Nyssa!" A voice called from behind

"Hey" Nyssa said when she turned around to face Elena, who was dressed in her league armor that hid the full extent of how far along she was in the pregnancy

"You weren't kidding when you said you were bringing Oliver" Elena said with a small laugh before looking towards Oliver "Guess you need a proper welcoming. Hello, welcome to Finiks Jurf. We only have two rules. One, don't do anything to piss off Nyssa and two, don't do anything overly stupid"

"There are actually more unspoken rules" Nyssa muttered

"Yeah yeah, but he gets the idea" Elena said "Anyway! Hayden needs to know where you want to position the towers by the end of the day so he can start the actually planning"

"Okay, I can get on that" Nyssa started "But how are you doing?"

"Pretty decent. Morning sickness still sucks but I did get that ultrasound after you left"

"And?"

"Andrew and I are going to be the proud parents of…." Elena said with a dramatic pause "A little girl and a little boy!"

"Oh my gosh! Congrats!" Nyssa said happily "It's about time you found out the genders! Now I have to tell Dakota"

"No kidding!" Elena said while laughing "You're going to see him over thanksgiving, right?"

"Supposedly, yeah"

"Great! You can convey the good news then!"

"And I'm guessing you've already picked out names?"

"Goodness no! There's so much to do and I only have four months!" Elena said "Not to mention Andrew. He's excited but not exactly the most helpful. He's a hot mess"

"Well if you need anything, just let me know"

"I will do that" Elena started "Oliver, you've been oddly quiet"

"Just hanging back" Oliver replied

"True, but I'll let you two get going. By the way, Zayn's finished the sabers. He's requested a testing with you this afternoon"

"Great, I'll get on that" Nyssa said while turning back towards Oliver "I don't suppose you have a pen in your pocket?"

"Actually, I do" Oliver said while taking it out of his coat pocket and tossing it towards her "Here"

"Okay, thanks" Nyssa said while she wrote another note on her skin

"You should just keep a piece of paper on you" Elena said

"I have tried that several times but I always end up losing it half way through the day" Nyssa said before tossing the pen back to Oliver

"Huh, only six things today" Elena said before Nyssa rolled her sleeve down "Seems like a light day! I'll let you get going. I have my own things to work on"

"Okay, but don't try to get on a horse again" Nyssa said

"What? It wasn't that bad"

"Lena, you're five months pregnant and that horse was almost two times your height. I'm surprised Andrew took it as lightly as he did"

"Okay okay, point taken, but I'm still going to spar" Elena said, but Nyssa gave her the same look that Oliver recognized as the one he got when he would try to eat the last of the Thai leftovers "Fine, half an hour instead of two"

"Better, I'll see you around" Nyssa said before turning back towards Oliver "You want to ride Charisma?"

"Right, the white pony" Oliver smirked "Sure!"

"You two have fun" Elena said before walking out of the room

Nyssa made a small motion for Oliver to follow her and he did so without question. She led them both outside of the main hall, and down the Cliffside trail that led to the stables near the water's edge. When they got inside, Nyssa was quickly able to find Charisma and let Oliver brush her coat while she went to find Sahim. She walked around the corner a few minutes later with Sahim, all saddled up.

"I still don't know how to saddle a horse" Oliver said

"Then you'll learn" Nyssa said as she released her grip on Sahim's reins, then pulled Charisma's saddle from the tack room

"So do I just put this on?" Oliver questioned after Nyssa set it on the floor

"Goodness no" Nyssa called from the tack room, then walked out with the saddle blanket and reins "This is a saddle blanket. You put it on before the saddle and it acts as padding for the horse's back while also keeping them cool"

"Okay, so how and where do I put it on?"

"Right up to the wither, which is the part that looks like the shoulder blades" Nyssa said, but then glanced outside "Shoot, we have to speed this up. I'll teach you another day, just step aside"

Oliver stepped aside and watched as Nyssa quickly saddled Charisma in a matter of minutes. After she finished adjusting the reins, Nyssa brought two fingers up to her mouth and made a quick whistle. Sahim came trotting over and Nyssa pulled herself up into his saddle

"Please tell me you know how to get into a saddle" Nyssa said

"Yeah, I know that much" Oliver said before getting into the saddle in a similar fashion as Nyssa

Nyssa didn't say another word before giving Sahim a quick kick. The stallion responded by blazing out of the stable. Oliver was expecting it this time and was only a bit startled by how quickly Charisma ran after him. They rode down close to the waterside for a bit before Nyssa pulled Sahim to the left and towards a trail that started going up the Cliffside. As they got higher up, Oliver was provided with a stunning view of the setting sun and all the warm colors that seemed to dance across the twilight sky. To say he was in awe wouldn't have described what expression was crossing his face, but when Nyssa turned back slightly to see if he was behind her, she smirked slightly, thinking about just how much he'll love midnight

-(=+=)-

"Jacob, don't you dare!" Lenora said as she took a step back from the stove

"I won't hit you, I promise" Jacob laughed as he shook the pan a little "Ready? Three, two, one!"

With a quick flick of his wrist, Jacob set the pancake that was in his pan flying up into the air in a spinning motion.

"I got it! I got it!" Jacob called as he took a few steps to the left

Jacob ended up stepping right in front of Lenora and holding the pan over her head, just in time to catch the pancake

"Well it didn't land perfectly" Jacob said while looking at the lopsided pancake "But that's pretty good compared to last time"

"Last time it landed in my food!"

"Okay, but this is still better"

"Yeah, I was almost killed by your cooking. Can't wait to tell your mother"

"I don't think she would mind" Jacob chuckled

"I would certainly mind if my son's cooking killed someone" Lenora said, but then heard a knock on the door "I wonder who that is"

"I have a pretty good guess" Jacob smirked

Lenora walked to the front door and didn't really hesitate when she opened it. Standing in the doorway was none other than Connor, but he was dressed in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt

"Morning Connor" Lenora greeted "Are you here to harass us for breakfast?"

"Yes and no" Connor said as he stepped inside, Lenora shutting the door behind him "Of course I'm here to see my baby brother-"

"Hey! I'm more mature than you!" Jacob called from the kitchen

"Likely. You're over there still trying to learn how to flip a pancake" Connor chuckled

"Riiight, and I'm sure they taught you how to flip pancakes in the corps"

"No, but I could still do it"

"Prove it!"

"I'll prove it when I finish what I'm saying" Connor said, then turned back towards Lenora "I'm actually here for you"

"Oh?"

"A certain someone would like to see you"

"You called the FBI on me for parking two minutes over the meter time, didn't you?" Lenora smirked with an eyebrow raised "Oooh, I've KNOWN you wanted to call them on me since the day we met!"

"I didn't, I swear" Connor started while laughing "They actually wanted me to arrange this, not the other way around"

"And who is this mysterious-" Lenora started, but was interrupted by another knock on the door

"See for yourself" Connor said as Lenora started to open the door

"Hey sis!"

"Oh my gosh, Trent!" Lenora said with a huge smile when she saw her older brother standing at the door "You're back!"

"I've only been back for around two hours" Trent laughed before hugging her "How have you been?"

"Pretty good. How was Europe?"

"Ugh, so many business meetings. More than enough to last me a lifetime" Trent chuckled "Although, I did see something on the news about a plague going through the city. What was that about?"

"Oh right" Lenora started "Yeah, someone came through the city and released a plague to get revenge on someone who has family here. That's all I've learned from Nyssa and Oliver"

"Ah, and were you guys able to stop them?"

"We didn't do anything to stop them, but we would have loved to help the SCPD" Lenora said while giving a subtle motion towards Connor "Jacob and I got hit with the plague before we could offer our services"

"I see" Trent noted

"Jacob, you said some pretty weird stuff while you were sick" Connor brought up

"Please…don't remind me" Jacob groaned "Anyway! I've got pancakes! Do you two want any?"

"Sure, what the heck!" Connor said

"I've got the day off" Trent shrugged "Let's see just how good you're cooking is"

"Better than it was a couple months ago for sure" Jacob said as he slid a plate over the counter, which had a pancake cut into four pieces

"Good shape" Trent said as he picked a piece up

"What? Did you become a pancake snob while I was away?" Connor chuckled

"Nah, Europe just does that to you" Trent laughed "Dad taught me all about proper steaks when we were in France"

"Rich boy" Connor snickered "Join me in the corps! We'll teach you about properly dining on an MRE and how to use an AR-15 at the dinner table"

"Gee, thanks Connor" Trent said as he gave his old friend a slap across the arm, then went back to the pancake "Not bad, not bad at all"

"Definitely better than the last batch" Lenora said after swallowing her bite "I give seven out of ten"

"Seven and a half out of ten" Connor said

"Six and three quarters" Trent said

"The rich boy knows his fractions" Connor teased

"Gun sniffer" Trent snickered

"Oh you're bringing that insult back" Connor laughed "You play by the books!"

"I try my best"

"They're like best friends" Jacob whispered to Lenora "How'd that happen"

"They were roommates in college" Lenora whispered back, getting an odd look from Jacob "What, you didn't know?"

"Nah, Connor never told me anything" Jacob said as he went back to the stove while the two older brothers continued their conversation "Do we have any whipped cream?"

"Of course we do" Lenora said while going through the fridge "We're not savages"

"That's it! Trent laughed "It was tent savage!"

"That's my favorite!" Connor laughed before slapping Trent across the shoulder "You came up with the best insults!"

"This is definitely a different friendship" Jacob whispered to Lenora

"You don't say"

-(=+=)-

When she came to the outside of the stables, Nyssa pulled Sahim to a stop and waited a moment before Oliver stopped Charisma at her side.

"That was….something" Oliver commented as he and Nyssa both got down from their saddles

"Definitely" Nyssa said while walking with Sahim towards his stall "What time is it on the clock over there?"

"Uh….nine sixteen" Oliver said "But it got dark really quickly. I thought it would be lighter outside"

"Welcome to the north" Nyssa sighed while looking at her arm, which she had written on earlier "We're really behind. We should have been back almost an hour ago"

"It seemed too fast almost. We looked at over fourteen different locations for the towers so how was that slow?"

"There are only so many hours in the day Oliver" Nyssa said as she put Sahim in his stall, then quickly took off his saddle and reins "Can you take care of Charisma?"

"I, uh…"

"Never mind, just leave her there. The stable boy can handle her. Just give her some oats to keep her occupied" Nyssa replied

After Oliver had given Charisma a hefty helping of oats, he quickly followed Nyssa out of the stables and up towards the trail that led back to the main hall and other caves.

"What's next on the list?" Oliver asked

"I need to drop these coordinates off to Hayden, then we're going towards the training hall where I'll run a weapons test with Zayn, then I've got to test the new commanders"

"Commanders? Are those the assassins you arranged to have trained so you didn't have to lead a bunch of missions?"

"Yeah, the first few phases of their training were completed and before I send them out in the field, I want to make sure they know what they're doing so there aren't any stupid causalities"

"Reasonable" Oliver muttered "And after that?"

"I'm talking with Abigail on the EW medical protocol, I'm working with Nazaria today, and then we're leaving for Kigoma. After that, we should be done"

"Okay, sounds pretty straight forward" Oliver said, but Nyssa just rolled her eyes with a small sigh that he didn't pick up on

When they came to the entrance of one of the caves, Nyssa turned into it and walked up a staircase that led to the second level. On their way towards one of the workrooms, they passed several assassins that weren't actually dressed as assassins but more like normal scientists and other workers. They came to a large set of double doors, which Nyssa pushed open, revealing a large workroom. Up ahead, Oliver saw a man with chocolate brown hair looking over a large map pulled up on a TV, along with three other people

"Hayden" Nyssa called, making them all turn around to face her

"Ah! Morning Nyssa!" The chocolate brown haired man said as he walked over "You got the locations?"

"Yeah" Nyssa said as she handed him the piece of paper

"Oh, perfect" Hayden said before passing the paper off to another person, who started inputting the coordinates into the computer "We'll have a plan for the extension to you by the end of the week"

"Excellent, but as for requests that you asked me to add if I felt it necessary"

"Yes?"

"The main opening to the fjord, we need to add something like a bridge over that along with some gate"

"I agree. Something to act as a barrier for ships other than our own" Hayden said before pulling up another map on a different computer screen "So we were thinking about adding a port over here in this opening, and then making a larger cave up in the stone that will extend back towards the sixth one we have built in this main channel"

"Sounds good, but we might want to add something up above the main caves for other transportation" Nyssa said while pointing at a different location on the map

"Yes, I see your point" Hayden noted "We'll get to work on it. I believe Zayn is waiting for you in the training hall. He told me to pass that message"

"That's where we're heading next" Nyssa said before walking towards the door "Thanks again"

"No problem" Hayden said before Nyssa walked out

"That was quick" Oliver noted "So we go to Zayn next?"

"Yeah, he's been waiting long enough" Nyssa replied

Without another word, Nyssa led the way out of the cave dedicated to the science division and towards the one that was dedicated to training. When she stepped inside, she saw several groups of assassins completing basic training. Nyssa completely ignored them and went up a large staircase that led to the levels above. They passed the second and third level, but turned off the fourth level. There was a long hallway that they walked down with several rooms branching off where other groups could train, but up ahead, there was a large set of double doors. Nyssa came to the doors and when she pushed them open, both she and Oliver were given a perfect view of what was going on in front of them. Zayn stood in the middle of the room with a couple tables set up and was walking around with some other assassins that Nyssa recognized belonged to the science division.

"Nyssa!" Zayn said happily when he saw her walk through the doors "Okay, I've been waiting to show you this for the past week"

"You seem more excited than when we usually run a weapon test" Nyssa noted

"With good reason" Zayn replied, then turned to his assistant "Dylan, can you please pass us two?"

A black haired assassin that only looked to be around sixteen walked over to one of the tables and picked up two things that looked like metal hilts of a sword, but while Oliver stood back and watched, he could have sworn that he had seen those hilts before. Dylan handed both Nyssa and Zayn a hilt and then walked back over to the table.

"So what is this?" Nyssa asked while looking down at the hilt

"I've been working on this weapon for almost four months and up until I got those bo staffs completed, this was more of a side project" Zayn said while lightly tossing the hilt in the air "This is similar to the sword with the retractable blade I made a few months ago, but this blade is made entirely of lasers"

"Sorry, what?"

"The sword has a core powered by dwarf star alloy and a combination of laser systems from some of the most cutting edge technology worldwide. When activated, the hilt will release a concentrated laser through the top and using the natural pull of gravity, it will keep the laser at a certain length and shape. All you have to do, is this"

Zayn took a few steps back from Nyssa and hit a small button on the hilt of the sword. Immediately, a green laser shot out from the top and kept a length of about 32 inches. He swung it around a couple times to show off the stability of the blade

"Dylan, bring me the test subject" Zayn said

Dylan turned back towards the table and a couple seconds later, be came back with a jumbo sized marshmallow on a metal rod.

"The core functions in a way where it keeps all the heat from the blade towards the internal part of the laser so not as much is emitted when activated" Zayn explained as he held the marshmallow over the blade, but it was still turning a golden brown rather quickly "But obviously, it's still hot"

Nyssa looked down at her own hilt and pressed the same button that Zayn had used to activate his. When she pressed hers, a cyan laser rose up from the top of the hilt. She swung it around a few times before looking back towards Zayn with a smirk

"Holy shit!" Oliver said from the side

"What is it?" Nyssa asked

"You created a lightsaber!" Oliver said with a weird smile

"A what?" Zayn asked

"Wait, seriously?" Oliver questioned, only getting weird looks from both Zayn and Nyssa "You haven't seen Star Wars?"

"No. I'm an assassin, a technological physics scientist, and head of the science division. I don't have time for such things" Zayn replied

"Wow" Oliver said with a small gasp "One of the iconic parts of the movie series is a weapon called a light saber. It looks EXACTLY like those and nobody has been able to actually make one"

"It's not that hard. They just don't know how to do it properly or don't understand basic sciences" Zayn replied "Anyway, I haven't tested the weapon in an actual match so I wanted to try it out with you since you can actually defend yourself if something goes wrong. Once I perfect it, I want to start training people to use them after I find a way to disguise its heat signature"

"Sounds good" Nyssa said as she took her stance "Any guidelines?"

"Just a normal sword fight" Zayn replied as he took his own stance "Dylan, stand back a little. You remember sparks sometimes fly"

"Yes sir" Dylan said as he took a few more steps back

Once both Dylan and Oliver were at a safe distance away, Nyssa and Zayn ran towards each other. As soon as the blades made contact with each other, an array of bright sparks shot out in all directions, but because of the armor that each of them was wearing, Zayn and Nyssa weren't affected. While Zayn tried to take offensive swings, Nyssa blocked them with defensives spins and soon, they came to a stale mate.

"So far, I like it" Nyssa said as they walked around each other in a circle

"Good, but there are still some changes that I want to make that will make it even smoother" Zayn said

Once again, Zayn ran towards Nyssa and this time, she snagged the offensive for a bit. While she was still advancing on him, Zayn pulled a more quick move and stepped behind her. He forced her into defensive and while he was advancing on her, Nyssa was forced to take some steps back. Zayn decided to try a fancier maneuver he had been working on and started to increase the speed of his attacks. Nyssa wasn't being given enough time to counter them and had to step back at a much faster rate. She had just tried to avoid a head shot and while she was still recovering from that move, Zayn swung his sword near her chest. Nyssa stumbled backwards and fell, but her leg ended up getting caught near Zayn's, bringing him closer to the ground as well. Unlike Nyssa who had landed on her back, Zayn was still on his feet but was starting to fall towards her fast and while his sword was still activated. Nyssa didn't have time to jump out of the way and saw a bucket of water off to the side, so she immediately shot her hand out in front of her. The water from the bucket sailed across the room and froze as soon as it made contact with Zayn's arm and the floor. While Zayn's arm was still frozen in place in the small wall of ice, the saber in his hand clattered to Nyssa's left, making her pull her hand away immediately

"That was…..unexpected" Zayn said from where he was still frozen in place "I got carried away. Apologies"

"It's fine" Nyssa breathed as she started to stand up while holding her left hand

Nyssa made a downward motion with her right hand and unfroze the water that was holding Zayn's arm in place. He stumbled forward and if Dylan hadn't stepped in to move the saber, he would have fallen right on top of it

"I think the sparks and the heat should be contained a bit more before trying this out with other assassins" Nyssa noted "But I think it will come in handy when it is ready"

"Well that's good to hear, but yeah, work definitely needs to be done" Zayn said "Did I hit your hand?"

"Small burn. It's fine" Nyssa replied "I have to get going. I'm already behind and I know Abigail and Ishaq are waiting in the main hall"

"Okay. I'll probably have it ready for testing again by next week. Thanks for agreeing to do this and sorry about burning your hand"

"Not a problem" Nyssa said as she turned back towards Oliver

"Are you alright? Lightsabers and cool and everything but that didn't look fun" Oliver said as they walked out of the room

"I'm fine. Things happen during testing but it will all be worth it in the end" Nyssa replied "Could save a life one day"

"True" Oliver replied

From that point on, they walked in silence through the midnight air and back towards the main hall. When they stepped inside the large entrance hall, Nyssa saw Ishaq and Abigail standing by the edge of the largest pool of eternal water, which was elevated about seven feet above the main floor. Oliver hung back a bit while Nyssa walked up a small staircase built into the sides of the pool and just watched the water as it fell down the waterfall, into the main pool, then flowed down the series of pools and into the two rivers that led outside the main hall.

"Hey" A voice said from Oliver's left "I didn't expect to see you guys back here by this time"

"Hey Elena" Oliver greeted "What do you mean this time?"

"Nyssa creates schedules for herself and tries to follow them, but things always come up and other things get scattered" Elena started "It's amazing she can keep this up, and for this long"

"Wait, what?"

"She hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?"

"Huh, even with that's she's told me about your work life, I would have imagined she did" Elena started "For the past two months or so, she has just been going at it without any breaks. Before that, her and I would get something like lunch but ever since she started the training of the new commanders, more and more things have been coming up that she has to deal with personally. As far as I know, she's barely getting any sleep because whatever she doesn't have time to finish here, she ends up doing back in Star City. She's made it quite clear to me that even though she has all these things to do, that she's always going to be home in time for dinner and to actually be a mother"

"She hasn't told me any of this…."

"Probably because you've expressed how busy you are with all your meetings, appointments, speeches, the vigilante team, and being a father. She didn't want to make you even more stressed out by worrying about her"

"But if she just told me-"

"Hopefully you've figured this out, but Nyssa doesn't know how to tell you that, or anything regarding the league for that matter"

"So she's just been keeping it to herself this entire time?"

"Pretty much. Occasionally, which is now only once every three weeks or so, we can actually sit down and talk and that's when she tells me this stuff"

"And on top of her not knowing how to tell me this stuff, we're always busy at home. Between my work from the office, the basic family schedule, and the work with the team there's never any time"

"Hopefully all that will stop at some point. I'm honestly surprised she hasn't collapsed yet. I've tried to give her a day off to just catch up with a real life but every time she's close to getting that day, something always comes up, I swear"

"Is there anything I can do?"

"As far as I know, you don't know how to run a league"

"What about you? Can't you take over for a day?"

"Believe me, I've tried, but every time I have failed miserably. It's not exactly a breezing doing what she does, but to add on top of it, I'm carrying two children and I can't see my feet" Elena said with a slight smirk "But, I still do what I can. Andrew's doing the same but Nyssa gets a bit pissed off when she has to try to explain to us what we have to do. Understandably too, she's been getting nine things she has to finish by the end of the day on average"

"I only get five max and those are usually small things, then I get to work ahead" Oliver said while he continued to watch Nyssa talk with Abigail and Ishaq "Is there anything I can do?"

"Hmm, if you see her sleeping, don't bother her and if you can do something yourself, do it" Elena said "But I think the main thing for you would be if you want to complain about something, keep it to a minimum. Obviously she's got her own things to-"

"Nyssa!" A voice yelled from the entrance

Nyssa, Abigail, Ishaq, Elena and Oliver all turned around to see an assassin running as fast as he could towards the pools of eternal water while trying desperately to regain his breath

"Nyssa….the East Bratva….the troops you have stationed there…..they've been over thrown…." The assassin said while trying to get his breath back

"What? What's going on over there?!" Nyssa demanded

"There's an uprising…..taking place over…..a weapon…the Bratva planned…..to use it against….this base" The assassin breathed "From what the message said…the assassins weren't able to get to the weapon…before they were all taken out….the weapon still needs to be adjusted before launch, but it sounds like it could level this place"

"The Bratva got ahold of a nuke?" Ishaq questioned

"Or another missile of sorts" The assassin breathed

"It doesn't matter what it is specifically, we just need to get it deactivated" Nyssa said "Go find my team and get them on a cargo plane to the location of the uprising. Abigail, find Zayn and tell him to get on the coms. Ishaq, you're with me"

"I'll get the computer sciences division ready to deactivate something remotely" Elena said as she quickly walked out of the room

"I'm coming with you" Oliver said as he jumped to Nyssa's side as she walked towards the exit

"Beloved, no" Nyssa said bluntly "If something happens out there, I need you to stay here and get back to William. He can't just be left alone, not after the island"

"You're not going to die out there and I'm going to be there to make sure of it!"

"Fine!" Nyssa said after a minute "Get your suit and meet us at the runway. I don't have time to argue this"

Oliver quickly followed Nyssa to the runway with his duffle bag in hand while she continued to bark orders at the assassins that were working to get the last minute flight up into the air. It wasn't even ten minutes after the news had been delivered when a cargo plane with a team of fourteen assassins was in the air, heading straight towards the site of the Bratva's launch.

-(=+=)-

"Okay, so it says that a parallelogram has a perimeter of 44cm squared and an area of 64cm squared. It's 5x+4 long and 3x+2 wide. Find X" William read aloud

"Ugh, I always have trouble with these ones" Zoe said as she shifted her position into a criss cross on the couch "It's the squared part that always gets me"

"Same" William said

"Daddy?" Zoe asked

"Yeah Peanut?" Rene asked from his desk

"Do you know how we should do this problem?"

Zoe got up from the couch and brought her text book over to Rene's desk. He pushed his paperwork aside and looked over the problem that the two teens were stuck on

"If I were you, I would start by breaking down the squared amounts into normal amounts so 44 would become 1936. From there, I would do 2(3x+2)+2(5x+4)=1936 and then from there, simplify for X" Rene explained

"Okay, thanks Daddy!" Zoe said as she almost skipped back to the couch, where she had been settled while William sat on the ground with his things spread out on the coffee table

Besides William and Zoe's muttering from the side of the room and the sound of Rene flipping papers over, it was mostly quiet and peaceful in the deputy mayor's office. They were all still working when Rene's phone started vibrating on his desk top, causing him to jump slightly after being heavily concentrated on his work. He picked up the phone and immediately picked up when he saw the caller ID

"Hey Hos, what's going on" Rene greeted when he picked up

 _"_ _Hey Rene, what time is it in Star City?"_ Oliver asked

"Uhh…." Rene started "Almost four o'clock in the evening. Why?"

 _"_ _Can you please take William home with you? Something incredibly unexpected came up here and right now, I'm on a plane with Nyssa heading to Bratsk, Russia. I don't know when we'll be home, but hopefully it will be before midnight if everything goes well"_

"What's going on exactly? I'm sure someone will have questions"

 _"_ _There's an uprising and a possible missile or even nuke attack on Finiks Jurf. We literally learned about it less than a half hour ago and this is the only chance I've been given to actually fill you in"_

"Okay, you do what you have to do. Me and the kids will stop by your house on the way back to our apartment and pick up anything William would need in case he has to spend the night"

 _"_ _Thank you Rene. There's a key in a small planted on the side of the house to the left of the deck if you're looking straight at it from behind. It's in the one with the sugar snap peas too. William knows where it's at too"_

"You got it hos. He's more than welcome to stay with us, but I think he would appreciate it if you would call him after you finish stopping that threat"

 _"_ _I'll do that. Thank you again Rene, but I have to go"_

"I get it. You and Nyssa go end that problem and show those fools who's boss!" Rene cheered "See you two later"

With that, Oliver and Rene both hung up and when Rene put his phone down, he saw William and Zoe both looking over him with a look of curiosity, but also hidden fear

"Are my parents alright?" William asked

"Yeah, they're fine and they're going to be fine. Your dad just called to let me know that he's going to be getting home a bit later tonight, before midnight mostly, so he asked me to have you stay at our place until he gets back, just to be safe" Rene replied

"But, they are coming back, right?"

"Yes, they will be coming back. You dad said that once they stop this threat, then he'll call you and let you know he's coming home, so keep your ringer turned on"

"Okay, thanks Mr. Ramirez" William said, then turned back to his homework

Zoe flashed her dad a small smile, then went back to writing down the rest of a math problem. Rene also turned back to his work and tried to get back to it, but as he did, his mind kept drifting to the question of 'what would happen to William if something happened to those two?'

-(=+=)-

"Keep your coms on. We'll stick together and once Zayn gives an exact location on the weapon, all of us will split off into teams of two and meet up at the location. Any Bratva members that you see, spare no mercy. They could be the death of our people if you aren't willing to take the first shot" Nyssa instructed while the plane started landing on Russian ground

"And what happens if the missile is launched while we're still in there?" An assassin asked

"Then warn Zayn and the rest of the computer division as soon as humanly possible. They'll start to disarm it remotely and we'll do what we can to disarm it from here. If all else fails…..then we have missile protocol set up that I'll implement" Nyssa replied

After she said that, murmurs started to pass between the thirteen assassins that belonged to Nyssa's team. Oliver, who had been standing next to Nyssa looked down at her and noticed that she seemed a bit more distant than usual. No doubt it was the thought of all she had worked for in the last ten months being destroyed in a single second, not to mention the hundreds, almost a thousand, or so people that were there at this very moment

When the plane landed, Nyssa led the way outside and onto the old runway where they landed. Thankfully, Zayn had sent the coordinates of the launch site to the pilots so they could land the plane as close to it as they could.

"Launch site is two blocks from here. Let's go" Nyssa said as she pulled up her hood

Oliver and the rest of the assassins pulled their hoods up and followed Nyssa towards the launch site. After some maneuvering around nearby warehouses, they soon came to the outside of the one where that was being used as a launch site. Nyssa and the other assassins were easily able to confirm that after seeing a large, open hole in the roof.

 _"_ _Nyssa, from heat signature, there are around thirty to forty Bratva members in there, and that's just in the general proximity of the nuke. That is definitely a nuke in there by the way so even more motivation for you to stop it"_ Zayn said over the com

"Okay, what about in the other areas inside?" Nyssa asked

 _"_ _I can't tell. There is some type of signal blocking layer in the roof and I can only see near the nuke because of that opening. From my guess, there could be almost a hundred in there"_

"We'll resort to explosives to clear the area out initially, then go into hand to hand" Nyssa instructed, but this time over the universal channel so everyone could hear

 _"_ _Nyssa, explosives?"_ Oliver questioned on their private channel _"Are you sure that's a good idea"_

"Zayn was the main producer of them. I trust him and his word completely. It'll work" Nyssa reassured "But we have to move in. I doubt they'll hold off a launch any further"

With that, Nyssa started to walk around the side of the warehouse, spotting her assassins at random points. When she was near the entrance, she saw several assassins ready their explosives on their custom bows. Once they all had them aimed towards the door, Nyssa used her own explosive arrow on the door. When she fired it, the metal door was thrown open and immediately, her assassins started firing their explosives inside. An array of smoke started to pour out of the warehouse. Nyssa raised her arm into the air and ordered a cease fire. When she did this, all the assassins jumped down from their positions and ran into the ware house with Nyssa. Oliver followed close behind and when they were inside, they saw several defeated Bratva members and some that were recovering. The assassins that were in the front quickly ran towards the recovering ones and ended them on the spot without any hesitation, them having the same motivation as Nyssa.

"This sections clear" An assassin announced

"Move in" Nyssa commanded

The other assassins followed Nyssa into another section of the warehouse, where they were met by around forty more Bratva members. With the combined efforts of the fifteen people from Finiks Jurf, they were all able to get past that section and moved into the one which Zayn had reported as the last, and also the one where the nuke was.

The group had come outside of a set of heavy metal doors with a series of locks. One of the assassins leaned forward and put a small circular device on the lock. The small light on the top flashed white three times, then turned to a dark blue as the lock clicked. The assassin took it off the lock, then a couple of them pushed the doors open in a flash of movement.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to get here" A man said he turned around to face Nyssa and her team "Daughter of the Demon and-"

"Anatoly?" Oliver muttered

"Oliver Queen" Anatoly remarked with a small laugh "Who would have thought"

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Why would I tell you what I am doing. Our connection ended two years ago after you used the Bratva to your advantage and screwed me over" Anatoly said firmly

"I'm here for my wife" Oliver said in his gruff tone

"You married the assassin? Not that blonde" Anatoly chuckled "You certainly have an odd taste in women"

"Anatoly. Last chance" Oliver growled "Step. Down"

"Not a chance. See, your wife has been causing my organization some troubles as of lately, as I'm sure she's told you" Anatoly started "I'm simply here to end it, once and for all"

"You know I could stop you in an instant" Nyssa said as she stepped forward, taking her hood off in the process

"They all say that" Anatoly remarked before glancing towards Oliver "I can see why you chose her over the blonde"

 _"_ _Keep him distracted. Computer division is working in the launch system of the nuke and we need a bit longer"_ Zayn told Nyssa and Oliver over the coms

"Anatoly, we've tried this peacefully. We've given you over eight months to comply and this is your final warning. Step down, or we will come in with our full forces" Nyssa growled

"In case you haven't figured this out, this is a nuke" Anatoly said while gesturing towards the missile, which was pointed up right "When I hit this button, that nuke will launch and destroy everyone and everything in your little base, along with all the cities within a 19 mile radius will be destroyed"

Nyssa quickly drew an explosive arrow from her quiver, aimed it at the detonator, and fired. The arrow immediately hit the device and destroyed it in an array of sparks. Anatoly dropped it and just chuckled

"Do you really think I wouldn't have a backup plan?" Anatoly smirked "You are more naïve than you look, and to think you run a league. It's sad really"

"Last chance" Nyssa growled as the thirteen assassins behind her, plus Oliver, all pointed their bows with nocked arrows at Anatoly and what remained of his men in the room

The only response they got was Anatoly's men rushing towards Nyssa's team. A fight soon broke out with each assassin taking on at least two of Anatoly's men. While everyone else was engaged with one of the henchmen, Nyssa ran towards Anatoly and started throwing her punches at him. They exchanged several blows and Anatoly even tried to shoot her a couple times, but Nyssa was able to dodge all his bullets.

 _"_ _Nyssa, we were able to disarm the nuke's launch system remotely, but there is still a backup that can be activated. That needs to be stopped on sight. You can do so with that skeleton key that you guys used on the door. We'll start reprogramming it"_ Zayn said over the coms as Nyssa continued to fight Anatoly

"You make a worthy opponent" Anatoly noted when they jumped back from each other in order to take a short break

"I haven't even begun" Nyssa growled

"Hmm, that's unfortunate" Anatoly said as he pulled a lighter out of his pocket and activated it "I'm sure you've noticed the floor is wet by now"

Nyssa looked down and noticed that indeed, the floor was covered in some clear liquid that almost looked like water, but had an oily appearance to it. When she was finally able to notice its presence and just what it was, it was already too late. Anatoly was already leaning down with the lighter so on instinct, Nyssa tried to reach towards him to put out the flame but found herself frozen, like she was completely stuck in fear. Anatoly's lighter made contact with the ground and immediately, the entire floor burst into flames. Everyone that was fighting, regardless of side, broke away from the fight and desperately tried to get out of the room where the flame was growing larger and hotter. Nyssa and Oliver both started running towards the exit and since he was a bit further ahead, he ran through the exit first, but as soon as Nyssa was about to go through, the ceiling shook and a large pile of metal used for support in the ceiling fell down, trapping her inside.

"I-Is…..anyone there?!" Someone called out into the fire while coughing

Nyssa covered her mouth with her sleeve and walked deeper into the blazing room. She maneuvered around all the piles of fallen debris until she found the source of the voice; Ishaq

"Ishaq" Nyssa coughed

"M-my leg's….stuck" He coughed out

Nyssa looked over a bit and saw that Ishaq's leg was stuck underneath a large pile of metal that had fallen from the ceiling. She bent down and started pushing off the debris, just enough for Ishaq to pull his leg out from underneath it

"We have to go" Nyssa said as she pulled his arm over his shoulder

"Thank you" Ishaq coughed out as Nyssa started to lead them out of the room where the fire was heaviest, but it had already spread to the rest of the warehouse "Nobody in the original league….would have done this"

"Then they need….to straighten out…their priorities" Nyssa coughed while guiding them around the flames

Nyssa had to get them both over some obstacles, but after around three minutes of walking through the flames, they soon got outside to where the rest of the assassins and Oliver were waiting. As soon as they were in a safe zone, both Nyssa and Ishaq dropped to their knees while trying to breathe in the pure air. Two of the assassins saw that Ishaq had been injured, so they got to his side and started helping him back up and towards the plane. Oliver got down to Nyssa's side and gave her a hand in standing up

"Where's the skeleton key!" Nyssa demanded

"Right here!" An assassins said as he quickly passed it to her

"Nys, what are you doing?" Oliver asked

"The nuke. There's another way for Anatoly to launch it on site after reactivating it. Zayn said this is the only way to stop it and I'm not going to just leave it here and risk the lives of the people in Finiks Jurf!" Nyssa replied

"Nyssa! Fire and a nuke in the same room is bound to end horrifically!"

"Then so be it! Better my life lost than a thousand innocent ones!"

"Nyssa, wait!" Oliver called, but Nyssa had already run back into the building

"Zayn, what's going on?" Nyssa asked over her coms

 _"_ _We've reconfigured the skeleton key so we can use the tech inside to get access to the nuke's main control panel, but Oliver was right, this could end horrifically"_ Zayn replied

"Tell me what I have to do"

 _"_ _There's a large control panel on the side of the nuke. Find it, pull it off so the internal tech is exposed, then place the device smack dab in the middle"_

"Got it"

Nyssa jumped back into the burning warehouse and as soon as she did, she could tell that the flames definitely got hotter. She worked her way around several obstacles and more sections of falling ruble until she got back to the room where the nuke and control panel were. When she stepped inside, Nyssa saw that the nuke was completely surrounded by flames except for one section. Her luck couldn't get any better because right in the exposed section was the control panel. Nyssa quickly walked through the room while not trying to breath in the smoke but wasn't able to avoid it completely

Once she was standing right in front of the control panel, Nyssa pried off the top revealing the complex tech on the interior. She pulled the device from her side and pressed it against the side of the nuke

 _"_ _I need you to activate the on button and the reset button at the same time"_ Zayn instructed

Nyssa put her fingers on the two buttons and once she pressed the down at the same time, the light on the top changed from white to a light green shade

 _"_ _We're in. Just stay there for another minute in case something goes weird"_

Nyssa was still standing there in the middle of the blazing room when a loud shaking echoed from above her. She had just enough time to jump out of the way of a pile of falling debris, but had to skid out of the way of another before it landed right where she was standing less than three seconds ago

"Z-Zayn….I-I can't!" Nyssa said over her com "I can't stay in here much longer"

 _"_ _It's okay, we got it, just get out of there!"_ Zayn replied

Nyssa didn't second guess him and started making her way towards the exit of the warehouse, but found she was having a hard time due to the quickly rising temperatures, the falling ceiling, and all the smoke that was filling the room. Her normal route outside had been blocked off by more debris, so she planned on going a different way, but when she turned around, Nyssa felt a quick heat rise up her back. She bit her tongue and stumbled out of the way before she had a chance to make a sound but despite the setback, Nyssa kept on moving

She struggled to get through, but after around five minutes of desperately trying to escape, Nyssa saw a small opening towards the side of the wall and almost ran towards it. When she got through it, she stumbled to the ground and immediately started to breathe in the pure air. Nyssa sat up from the ground and turned around to face the warehouse, or what remained of it in that matter

"Zayn, tell me you have good news" Nyssa said over her com

 _"_ _We got the best news. Shortly after you left, we completely disarmed the nuke. It's nothing but a large piece of flaming scrape metal now"_ Zayn replied

"Thank god" Nyssa breathed

"Nyssa!" An approaching voice shouted from her right

"Oliver" Nyssa said in relief as Oliver skidded to his knees and brought her into his arms

"A-Are you alright? You aren't hurt, are you!?" Oliver questioned

"I-I'm fine" Nyssa stuttered "Zayn got the nuke disarmed. They can't use it against us"

"Good, good" Oliver said with a small sigh "Please don't ever do that again. You scared me to death!"

"I promise I won't do anything stupid beloved" Nyssa said with a small smile "Now that we've finished what we came here for, we should get back to Finiks Jurf"

"Okay, that sounds good" Oliver said as he got up, then pulled Nyssa to her feet "Wait….Nyssa"

"What is it beloved?"

"Your hair" Oliver said as he picked up a lock of it from Nyssa's ponytail, showing her that the ends were burnt to a crisp almost four inches up

Nyssa looked at the lock of hair disappointedly before realizing that that was what she had felt burn on her back. She moved her hand behind her head and picked up another lock and found it was exactly the same as the last; fried

"It's just hair. It will grow back" Nyssa said, although she still seemed disappointed "I'll do something about it when we get back"

"Okay, if that's what you want to do"

-(=+=)-

Nyssa and Oliver walked down the steps from the runway and onto the trail that led to the main hall. Oliver had changed out of his suit and was back in his regular clothes, which were indeed keeping him warm in the freezing weather, while Nyssa remained in her league attire. When they walked into the hall, they both saw Elena, Zayn, and Andrew sitting on the steps to the risen platform. When they caught sight of the Queen couple, all three sprung to their feet and started walking towards them

"If that wasn't good team work, then I don't know what is" Zayn said as he joined up with Nyssa and Oliver "Great job you two did out there! I'd say that was our best nuke destruction mission yet!"

"Our first and hopefully last. Glad to see you're both safe" Elena said as she pulled Nyssa into a hug, but pulled back slowly while holding a lock of Nyssa's burnt hair "My gosh, what happened?!"

"Warehouse caught fire and I got caught in a smaller fire" Nyssa explained "It's not a big deal, I'll just cut it off later or something"

"No, you're not going to cut your hair, I am"

"What?"

"Last time you cut your hair, you used a knife out in the field and it broke off part of my soul. When you've got a task such as this one, I'm not going to let you screw it up and accidentally give yourself a pixie" Elena said as she started pushing Nyssa to the side "Come on! Let me fix it!"

"Okay okay, I'm going" Nyssa said after resisting

"Elena sure looks passionate about this" Oliver noted once Nyssa and Elena were out of the room

"She used to be a hairdresser, nonprofessionally that is" Andrew replied "She made an appoint to teach me how to cut my own hair because it was bothering her"

"Sounds like Elena" Zayn said with a small nod "Anyway! Glad you're safe, now I have to get back to my workshop. I've got my own projects I'm working on"

"And I have a coordination division that's waiting on me" Andrew said "You're free to do whatever you want Oliver. The kitchens are usually serving breakfast around this time, but I'd hurry up, the eight o'clock rush is due soon"

"Got it, thanks Andrew"

-(=+=)-

"I don't even know what to say about this" Elena said while looking at Nyssa's hair "Four inches were burned to a crisp"

"Okay, so can you just cut those ends off?" Nyssa asked from the chair she was sitting in

"I wish, but initial burn only goes up four inches. The actual damage goes up for another four to six so a grand total of around nine inches need to be cut off, then there's just the general end evening since some areas of the burn are more severe"

"Just do what you have to, but please don't cut it all off. I actually like my long hair"

"I do too" Elena said "It was beautiful which is why it's actually painful for me to cut all of this off"

"That doesn't help my confidence at all"

"Sorry!" Elena said while picking up a pair of scissors from the table to her side "But please, forgive me for this. I actually think you'll look really good in the end"

"Okay…..just do it"

Elena didn't give Nyssa any more time to question her judgement but right before Nyssa could say something else, Elena picked up a large piece of hair right in the back of her head and cut it off without a second thought. Nyssa immediately looked down at the floor and saw the eight inch long piece of hair lying on the ground

"Aww, this is going to be harder than I thought! I'm not used to changes like this!" Nyssa said before turning away so she could see the lock of hair

"Don't worry, I won't fail you Nys" Elena laughed "Besides, you'll look like a French model when I'm finished"

-(=+=)-

Oliver stood out on the cliff just outside of the main hall, looking down at the lake, river and waterfalls beneath him. He was still admiring the sight when he heard footsteps behind him. Oliver turned around and saw Nyssa approaching him, but her normal long, brown hair that he was used to was almost completely gone. The hair that had fallen to the middle of her back had been reduced to an inch past her shoulders. It still had it natural lighter brown highlights and wave to it and even though it wasn't what he was used to, Oliver couldn't help but smile

"Elena was right" Oliver said as Nyssa stepped to his side "She promised to make you look stunning but she ended up turning you into a goddess"

"You flatter me beloved" Nyssa said with a small smile "But yes, I'm glad Elena did this because it looks much better than if I were to do it"

"Heh, right" Oliver started "Out there, in the field, I saw you and Anatoly right before he lit the pace up. You had an opportunity to stop him but you froze"

"Guess this is the great day of reveal" Nyssa sighed "I choked. I couldn't do it"

"Couldn't do what?"

"Couldn't bring myself to use my powers"

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm….terrified"

"Of what?" Oliver asked "Nys, you can tell me anything. You know that"

"I-I know it's just…." Nyssa started before releasing a nervous breath "When I first got these powers, I was thrilled to learn just how far I could go with them but as I've been training more and more, I've seen the true power of them and…I-I'm scared that one day I'll lose control and end up hurting someone….or multiple people"

"You're scared that these powers are going to control you" Oliver muttered, receiving a nod from Nyssa "Nyssa, you don't have anything to be afraid of. Whatever could happen, you have no reason to fear it because every single one of us; me, Elena, Andrew, Zayn, Dakota, William, and everyone back on the team in the city are here to help you, no matter the extent"

"Thea mentioned to you the story about the child in Kuwait, did she not?"

"She did"

"That child….her name was Annabelle. She was such a sweet little girl who didn't deserve what happened to her" Nyssa said before wiping a small tear from her eye "I was down there about three years ago on a more personal mission. A fight between me and my enemy broke out and Annabelle's family was pulled into the crossfire. I ended up becoming close friends with her and her family but one day, my enemy took a strike at Annabelle's parents as a way to get to me. As her mother died, she asked me to watch over Annabelle….too keep her safe. I did everything in my power to keep her safe, but my efforts weren't enough. My enemy came and attacked me, but like her parents, Annabelle was pulled into the crossfire and….."

Nyssa wasn't able to finish her sentence before she finally broke and let tears stream down her cheeks. Oliver instinctively pulled her closer and held her close in his arms, almost like he was trying to protect her from the outside world

"Nyssa, it's alright, I get it" Oliver soothed

"It was all my fault…" Nyssa cried softly "I let a little seven year old girl die because I wasn't careful enough to see what was happening right in front of me"

"Nys, its okay" Oliver said "She's in a better place now, where no one else can hurt her"

"I wish I knew for sure"

"On day, we all will but she's up there with her parents"

"Who I promised I would keep her safe" Nyssa muttered "I was dragged into their lives and ended up getting them killed"

"There are just somethings that happen that are out of your control. I'm still having a hard time accepting this as well, but it's true and I wish I had seen it sooner because the more guilt you're carrying on your shoulders, the harder it is to function as a human being" Oliver started "Is this why you didn't want kids, really? Because you're scared something will happen to them and you'll be at fault"

"Innocent children don't deserve living in fear"

"They won't have to, because I get it now" Oliver said "We're just not cut out to raise a young child

"Wait, no" Nyssa said as she pulled away "Oliver, I want a child or two of my own, but I can't physically do it right now with everything that's happening"

"Okay then? What are you proposing?"

"I want to have a child, but when I'm not being demanded by the league every second of the day. They would deserve that much"

"I agree, but when do you think things will slow down"

"Around November or December of next year probably. Getting past the first year is the hardest and from then on it's a learning curve with a more structured schedule"

"I see, so you do want to have kids?"

"Yes beloved, more than anything. I love children and I'd love to have one of my own"

"So….is it settled?" Oliver questioned "We'll just wait until a proper time so we can give them the attention they deserve"

"Yeah, that's what I want to do, if it's alright with you"

"More than perfect, it's been my dream" Oliver said with a small laugh "But were you ever mad at me when I said I wanted children?"

"No, I was mad at myself for knowing I couldn't give one the care they deserve, but I was only mad at you when you kept pushing and pushing"

"Because of all of this, right?"

"Yeah"

"Nyssa, why didn't you just tell me about everything?"

"Because you were already stressed out about all of this. I did not what you do add something else that didn't need more attention than it already had. I was handling it just fine"

"Can we make a promise to each other"

"Of course?"

"Let's promise that we will always tell each other the truth. The whole truth and nothing but the truth"

"I agree with that" Nyssa said "It'd be nice after all of this"

"I'm glad" Oliver said before pulling her into a kiss "I love you Nys"

"And I you beloved"


	37. Darkness And Dogs

"Can you pass the popcorn please?" William asked

Zoe didn't look up from her book as she pushed the bowl of popcorn across the coffee table and towards William. While he still had his head in his own book, William reached in the bowl and grabbed a handful, setting it on the napkin that was lying next to him. Rene sat at the kitchen table, working on some things for Quentin when there was a knock on the door. William and Zoe both looked up, but went back to what they were doing as Rene got up and went to the door.

"William, it's your dad" Rene said as he opened the door "You're back early"

"Just a bit" Oliver replied "Can I come in?"

"Sure thing" Rene said as he stepped aside "Zoe's bed time isn't until eleven so she and William have been in here reading for the past half hour or so. We weren't sure when you were coming back"

"Hey Dad!" William said as he got up from the couch and walked over, already dressed in sweats and a thick hoodie "Where's Mom?"

"Mom's going to meet us at home. She needed to stay in Finiks Jurf a bit longer" Oliver explained

"Why? What happened? Mr. Ramirez said that I might be staying the night if something happened"

"Well thank goodness it didn't" Oliver sighed "One of the enemies of the league was going to launch a nuke. We had to fly to Russia at the last second to stop it"

"So everything's good now?"

"Yeah, everything should be fine"

"Okay, good"

"William, why don't you go get your things. Zoe, can you help him?" Rene asked

"Sure thing Daddy" Zoe replied

"A nuke?" Rene asked once the two teens were out of the room "Is that all that was going on up there?"

"Well I learned a lot more than I thought I would. For one, Nyssa's been overworking herself for the past two months and hasn't told me because she doesn't want me to worry, that she actually wants a child like I did but thought it wouldn't be right to have one right now, and that she's terrified to use her powers"

"Wow…just wow" Rene said with a small whistle "So overall, productive?"

"I mean, for me in some ways but she just seemed stressed out the entire day. She makes my job look like I'm just sitting at a desk doing seventh grade homework"

"Hmm, that much huh?" Rene asked, receiving a slight nod from Oliver "Anything you can do for her?"

"Elena just said to not pester her, but also that this chaos should continue until November or December of next year!" Oliver expressed "But thankfully, Elena's twins are due sometime in April or May so after that, she'll be able to take some things off Nyssa's plate"

"Well that's good in some regards" Rene started "And she's still there?"

"After we got back, Elena ended up pulling her away because almost eight inches of her hair got fried off while disarming the nuke. She got back, we had our little talk while watching the sun rise, and then she sent me back here while she, Elena, Zayn, and Andrew all tried to find Anatoly"

"Anatoly? As in the Russian gangster?"

"Yeah. He's the one leading the revolt against the league"

"Huh, guess you're just going further up shit creek" Rene chuckled

"Would you keep it down? William and Zoe can still hear you!" Oliver hissed but in a whisper

"Sorry hos" Rene started "But you have to admit, your past-"

"Is coming back to haunt me, yeah, the classic line"

"That's your own fault"

"I know, you've made that clear, but it's not really directed at me this time. Apparently Nyssa's been dealing with Anatoly for the past eight months or so, she just didn't know that we had a quarrel during my Lian Yu years and he didn't know that she's my wife. It made things real interesting at the warehouse"

"I bet"

"Are you sure? I could have sworn that it was Tom that said his sister did that" William said as he and Zoe walked back into the room, William with his things gathered

"I know for sure it was Tom because Jasper said that his brother was the one that used to eat glue, not Alicia" Zoe replied

"What are you two talking about?" Oliver asked

"It was Tom's sister, Alicia, or Jasper's brother, Ethan, that used to try to eat quarters because someone told him that's how you made a wish come true" Zoe said "I think it was Alicia but William thinks its Ethan"

"I don't even know what to say" Rene chuckled "But why don't you say bye to William. You need to get to bed"

"Bye Will, see you tomorrow" Zoe waved

"Yeah, see you then" William replied

"Thanks again Rene" Oliver said as William walked out the door

"No problem man. Hope everything ends up well. See you tomorrow then?" Rene asked

"Yeah, see you tomorrow"

With that, Oliver stepped out of the apartment and into the hallway where William was waiting for him. As Oliver got closer, he wrapped his arm around William's shoulders, almost like he was holding him in a protective matter

"So you and Mom stopped that nuke?" William asked

"You heard that?" Oliver questioned

"Bits. I heard something about a nuke, some Russian gangster, and Mom getting her hair burnt off?"

"Oh, right. The warehouse where the nuke was caught fire and some of Mom's hair got burnt off while she was disarming the missile"

"Does it still look good?"

"It always looks good" Oliver chuckled

"Okay, but is she going to be home soon?"

"Yeah, she'll be back later this evening"

"It's almost eleven. Are you sure about that?"

"Okay, maybe early morning but she promised she'll be back when you wake up"

"Okay, so long as she's there, it's fine"

"Thank goodness" Oliver muttered, but William was too focused on the upcoming elevator to notice

William patiently waited after pressing the downward arrow next to two sets of elevator doors. A couple seconds later, one of them opened up and took Oliver and William down to the first floor. Once they were there, Oliver led the way out to the side of the street where his dark gray Toyota 2018 XSE Camry was parked. Once they were both inside, Oliver started driving back to their house and couldn't help but notice that William was trying really hard to stay awake in the front seat. Oliver just smiled slightly as he continued to watch the growing road ahead of them, which would soon turn into their modern lodge looking home.

-(=+=)-

"I got all my homework done with Zoe so I'm going to bed" William groaned as he walked through the front door of the house

"Okay, and you're taking a shower in the morning?" Oliver questioned

"Yeah, sure, whatever" William said "Night Dad"

"Night buddy" Oliver said while holding back a bit of laughter

William trudged up the stairs with his flash backpack hanging off one shoulder. Oliver watched him disappear in the space above, then heard a door shut. When he knew that William had gone in his room, Oliver walked into the kitchen and glanced at a wall clock; 11:18pm. A small sigh escaped his lips as he walked to his office. Oliver opened up a small drawer towards the bottom of his desk and pulled out a smaller bottle of vodka, from Russia of course. Along with the bottle, there were two glasses. He pulled out one, set it on the desk, and poured a moderately sized drink. Oliver took a quick drink of the alcohol, then looked at the pile of files on his desk. They were about four inches tall when stacked on top of each other, signally that he had a busy day ahead of him, but then his mind drifted to his wife, who was halfway across the world. Oliver pulled his phone out from his jacket pocket and looked at the screen. No notifications. He spun around in the chair and looked behind his desk to where two large bookshelves were with the windows on the right side. On one of the shelves was something Oliver couldn't help but smile at; the Australian guitar, as he and Nyssa called it. Oliver got up, picked up the guitar, and sat back down at his desk. He silently started to strum some of the chord patterns he could still remember back from college and before the gambit, but it didn't sound as sharp and flawless as he had hoped for it to be. Oliver didn't want to go at it any longer and risk waking William, so he got up and put the guitar back in its place on the shelf

After finishing off the glass of vodka, Oliver went back to the kitchen and set it in the sink. He walked up the stairs a few moments later and walked into the master bedroom. Oliver got changed into some looser clothes and hung up the attire that he had worn to Finiks Jurf. When he walked into the bathroom, he couldn't help but notice the ways the counters were left. Normally, the woman's things would be lying out after a morning of quickly getting ready but it was just the opposite. Oliver's side was riddled with stuff from this morning, since he had been in more of a rush, while Nyssa's side was perfectly clear except for a single piece of ribbon that had been cut off from the piece she used to hold her hair in place. It was a more regal shade of dark gray that matched her normal league attire and was only about a half inch thick. It was such a simple part of her routine but Oliver knew that he wouldn't be seeing that part of the routine for at least another six months or so.

After completely his small nightly routine of shaving, washing his face, and brushing his teeth, Oliver walked back into the bedroom and sat down on his side of the bed. All the lights were off in his room, so he grabbed his book on the side table and turned on his lamp. Oliver picked his feet up and adjusted himself so he was sitting with his back against the short headboard and his feet crossed at the ankles. Once again, he glanced at the clock; 11:42. Oliver looked back down and opened his book, picking up right where he had left off

Around two and a half hours had passed since Oliver had first sat down on his bed and he felt his eyes getting heavy almost an hour ago, but now they were getting heavier to the point of annoyance. He would keep nodding off, but woke himself up after a few minutes later and went back to reading.

'Nope, nope! Stay awake!' Oliver thought to himself after jolting awake 'She'll be home soon'

Once again, Oliver readjusted his position against the headboard and tried to get back to his book. She would be home soon after all, what's the point in going to sleep?

-(=+=)-

"And you have those trackers running?" Nyssa asked from where she sat next to Zayn in the computer science laboratory

"Yes, all of them are set up and if we get anything regarding Anatoly or the East Bratva's activity, we'll be right on top of them. They can't get the jump on us this time, but with all the satellite points you set up, I don't think this could fail" Zayn answered "I need sleep. I can't do this for much longer without screwing something up"

"You go do that. I'm going home" Nyssa said as she stood up

"Not stopping you or anything, but it's it almost five in the morning there? You'd have a little over two hours there" Zayn asked after looking at a wall clock

"Yeah but I promised Oliver that I would be there to see him and William off. It's part of a routine"

"Ah, I see" Zayn said while stretching back in his chair "Welp, I'm going to get a full six hours hopefully. You have fun there on the west coast"

"See you in a bit"

"Highly unlikely" Zayn chuckled

Both of the assassins started walking out of the computer division, but then split ways as Zayn headed towards his own room which had been built closer to the science division cave for his convenience. Nyssa walked down a staircase that led down to the main level. It was nearly three in the afternoon in Finiks Jurf and for the middle of winter, it was pretty warm at twenty nine degrees (Fahrenheit-I'm American). The main floor was surprisingly empty, so Nyssa took advantage of that and stomped her heel on the ground. She used the small flame created and turned it into a larger trail. Nyssa made the small flame circle around her and as it did, it created something like a column or a sleeve around her. It closed in as the bright white light and rush of warm air passed by and the next time Nyssa opened her eyes, she was standing in the basement of her home in Star City.

Since she was still in her league attire, Nyssa took it off along with her weapons, then went upstairs while she was dressed in some dark leggings and a longer shirt. Nyssa quietly walked up the stairs and saw that the door to her and Oliver's bedroom was slightly cracked, so she stepped in. Nyssa smiled slightly when she saw Oliver already fast asleep with a book lying in his lap, but instead of being in a normal 'reading' position, he had fallen to his side, taking up both his side and part of Nyssa's. She was glad that Oliver was getting sleep, but she was also a bit sad that he wasn't awake. Nyssa wanted someone to talk to. Nevertheless, she closed the door so it was left unmoved without a trace of her presence. She moved down the stairs and sat down on the couch. Just because Oliver was taking up her side of the bed, again, it wasn't going to stop her from getting at least an hour of sleep. Nyssa was just getting comfortable with her head on one of the throw pillows when something started vibrating in her pocket. She groaned slightly as she pulled out her phone and looked at the caller ID. It wasn't going to help if she ignored it, so Nyssa just picked it up

"What in the name of hell do you want Dakota?" Nyssa asked, obviously pissed off but trying to keep her voice down

"Nyssa! Thank god you picked up! I need a favor!" Dakota said urgently

"Dakota" Nyssa started as she got up from the couch and walked towards the glass door that led outside to the deck. She stepped outside, being greeted by the chilling morning air of the early winter, and then closed the door behind her "It may be almost six in the evening where you are, but it's five in the damn morning here"

"Sorry, were you trying to sleep?"

"Trying being the key word" Nyssa muttered "What do you want?"

"I need a favor from you and I know you'll probably say no but we REALLY need this right now and-"

"Dakota! You're wasting my time! Just tell me what it is you want"

"I need you to go to a Tibetan base where I have some of my men stationed. Our communication systems are on the fritz and we can't proceed with another mission until we have this from them so can you please go there and then come here to Isfara and hand it over?"

"You want me to go halfway across the world, meet some of your assassins, get intel from them, then go to Isfara and give you the information" Nyssa summarized "Why can't you do this yourself?"

"Because the plane that we're using to head out on the mission is going to be leaving the runway in an hour. It would take us almost seven hours to get this information"

"And there's no other way you can get ahold of it?"

"Not in this time window, no"

"Fine" Nyssa said after a moment "Text me the address of the base in Tibet and the Isfarian one"

"Thanks Sis, your the best"

"After this, I'm going to make your life an absolute hell"

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't. Thank you again, so much, but I really need to get going"

"MmmHmm"

Nyssa hung up the phone and started walked back inside and to the basement. When she got downstairs, she started to put on the set of armor she had just folded and put away less than ten minutes ago. As Nyssa sheathed her sword, she glanced down at her phone; 5:04am. While she was still looking at the time, two texts came in from Dakota with the addresses of the bases. From what she could tell, they weren't too far apart which meant the task should be rather quick. Nyssa grabbed her collapsed bow off the rack and put it on the right of her belt, where a small loop was that was meant to fit the riser. Who would have known if she would actually need to use it, but it was better to have it than not; after all, Nyssa had never interacted with Dakota's assassins as a superior. There was no telling how it would turn out.

-(=+=)-

Oliver woke up to the loud and annoying sound of his alarm going off. A groan of annoyance escaped his lips as he leaned over and started slapping the top of his bedside table. Eventually, he found the button to shut it off and savored the silence for a moment. Oliver picked his head up from where he previously had it buried in the pillow and looked to his right. Nyssa's side of the bed was still empty. Oliver picked up his phone and saw that there still weren't any texts that had come through, or calls for that matter. He didn't waste any more time worrying about it, as he knew he would find an answer soon, and got out of bed. Oliver crossed the hallway and tapped on William's door.

"Buddy? You up?" Oliver asked

"Yeah! Yeah I'm up! I'm getting in the shower so please don't come in!" William called back

"Okay then"

Oliver peeled away from the door and walked back to his room. He figured that after he got dressed, he would call Nyssa to see what was going on. While Oliver was getting ready, he discovered that he had left his comb downstairs in the kitchen from the other day when he was running late. Oliver, still dressed in sweats and a tee shirt, walked down the stairs and in the direction of the kitchen. When he wrapped around the corner and entered the family room, he saw a dark clothed figure lying on the couch, seeming to be asleep. Oliver walked around the back and looked down to see Nyssa lying on her side and from the looks of it, she was asleep.

"Nys?" Oliver asked quietly

"Hmm?" Nyssa hummed with her eyes still closed

"When did you get back?"

"What time is it?"

"Uhh….6:18"

"About twenty minutes ago" Nyssa said as she sat up

"Why didn't you come upstairs?"

"Because I literally came back two minutes before you were going to wake up. I was hoping to at least get a few minutes to sleep"

"What's been going on all night then?"

"Zayn and I have been setting up satellite receiver things all across Russia so we have a tracker set up to find the Bratva. I never thought I would be in so many different Russian cities in one night" Nyssa said "But then again, Dakota hasn't been much help in the last few hours"

"He got involved with the search too?"

"Of course not. I actually got back at around 4:50 but he called me around five asking me to go to some Tibetan order base, get some information for him, and go to Isfara to give it to him all in less than an hour"

"Why couldn't he do it himself?"

"Something about his plane leaving in an hour, the communication system breaking, and a round trip taking seven hours" Nyssa said while rubbing her eye "The order's base is pathetic compared to Finish Jurf. It's a bit sad honestly. They've been around a lot longer than we have"

"Maybe you should go there and teach them a thing or two" Oliver said while rubbing her shoulders "I don't think Elena would mind if you take the day off, especially after everything that's happened"

"I physically can't take the day off. Because of the Bratva, I wasn't able to get down to Kigoma or test the new commanders so I have to do that today in addition to all the other things"

"Anything I can do to help?"

"No. Not that I know of"

"You sure?"

"Beloved, you don't know how to test a commander in a group of assassins nor how to identify the venom that comes from a snake based on a fang"

"Snakes. That's what's going on down in Kigoma"

"Yeah…..kill me"

"Heh, I'm not going to do that" Oliver started "Last night when I was about to go to bed, I saw that piece of ribbon on the counter"

"Did I leave that out? I meant to take care of it before I left"

"Nah, you're fine. It was much better than my mess" Oliver chuckled while looking down at Nyssa "Guess you can still use it. Your hair is longer than I remembered it, even after it got burnt off"

"Oh, you think I haven't tried to pull it back while I was traveling around Russia and Tibet?" Nyssa questioned "Elena had to cut it in some style called face framing because the ends of the front parts were also burnt. Now they're shorter than the back and I can't pull it back without it falling in front of my face"

"Surely it can't be that bad"

Nyssa stood up front he couch, turned around and face Oliver while gathering her hair like she would when tying a ponytail. As soon as she had raised it to the normal height, the front pieces of hair fell down on the sides and in the front of her face

"See?" Nyssa asked "Only way I've been able to keep it back is by keeping it down and tucking it behind my ear on occasion"

"So the shorter hair isn't for you?"

"Hell no. I'm growing it back out and I'm not going to cut it like this ever again" Nyssa started "It's not that Elena didn't do a good job, it's just that it doesn't work for what I do"

"No, I get it. I'm thinking about growing my hair back out too. You know, Russia/Island style"

"Please don't" Nyssa said with a small laugh "If you try to, I'll cut it off while you're asleep"

"The threats" Oliver laughed "Yeah, it would be a pretty good idea"

"The media would go crazy"

"No kidding" Oliver started "Anyway, I have to get upstairs and finish getting ready. You going to stay down here?"

"Yeah, I'm going to get changed into my armor…..again!"

"I'll wear that armor if you want to wear my business suit"

"I look terrible in a tie, but I'll take the blazer"

"You just haven't found the right tie"

"Yeah, I'm sure that's what's at play"

Oliver just chuckled as he walked into the kitchen, grabbed his comb off the counter from where it's as sitting next to a couple of his folders, then he went back upstairs. While he did that, Nyssa walked downstairs back into the basement and picked up her sword once again. She put on the four other parts of her armor before grabbing her weapons off the rack once again, but instead of putting them on her person, Nyssa just set them out with the circlet so she could grab them right before she had to leave. When she walked back upstairs about ten minutes later, she saw that the main area was still empty. Nyssa knew that both Oliver and William were getting ready but since she never actually slept, she didn't have to do anything extra. She walked into the kitchen and pulled out one of the mugs from the cabinets above the toaster. While she was still getting her tea ready, the sound of footsteps thundered down the stairs and landed with a thud on the hardwood floor. Nyssa looked up from her cup and saw William walking through the family room while rummaging through his backpack, which was hanging off his elbow. He finally found the assignment he was looking for, so he looked up and his eyes lit up

"You're back!" William said excitedly as he walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Nyssa "Dad said you had to stay behind to fix something with the nuke"

"Yeah, but everything's fine now" Nyssa assured when she pulled away from the hug "So how was school?"

"Same ol' same ol" William replied "Oh, we get out on Thanksgiving vacation today after school! My friends and I are already starting to make plans, but are we just doing the normal thing for celebrating?"

"Normal thing?"

"You know, invite some people over from the team who don't really have a family to go back to for the holidays. Curtis, The Ramirez's, Aunt Thea, and maybe some others"

"It's really up to your father, but yes, I do believe we're doing that again especially since we actually have a large home to host in"

"Awesome! It's really fun when we get everyone here! And we have that yard now! Zoe and I could practice with Aunt Thea or something!"

"Yes, and your father wants to build a pool. Maybe you should talk to him and give him your input this week because as far as I know, he wants to put a plan together by Christmas so construction can start as soon as the weather improves"

"That's awesome! I can't believe of all the things Dad could have added to the house, he chose a pool!"

"Maybe it's because he didn't swim very often when he was younger. Catching up on lost years perhaps"

"Seems like him" William said while rummaging through the fridge "Where's the bread? I really want toast"

"Top shelf" Nyssa said while taking a sip of her tea

"Oh hey, nice, fresh loaf" William said from the counter while opening the new loaf "Dad told me your hair got burnt off last night. It still looks really nice"

"Thank you" Nyssa smiled

"Hey, have either of you seen my bag?" Oliver asked as he walked into the kitchen

"Try the dining room beloved" Nyssa replied

"Yup, right again" Oliver said from the dining room "I've got a meeting at seven fifty so we're going to have to leave a bit earlier buddy"

"Do I still have time to eat my toast? Because I just put it in the toaster" William asked

"Yeah, you'll be fine" Oliver replied

"Awesome. I need toast" (A/N: We all do. PSA-Never neglect toast)

"So Kigoma and commander training" Oliver said as he stood at Nyssa's side "Anything else going on today?"

"Still have my work with Nazaria, probably going to head to Spain today and get some things done down there, and more work on our Bratva problem" Nyssa replied "Lighter day, yay me"

"Well if you need anything, don't forget to call"

"I won't"

While Oliver got his traditional morning cup of coffee, William scurried around the kitchen grabbing the things he needed to make his perfect piece of toast. By the time he was finishing it, Oliver glanced up at the clock and realized it was seven twenty; time for them to leave. William saw it too so he cleaned up his place, grabbed his things, and walked towards the door to put on his shoes

"I'll see you tonight?" Oliver asked as he walked back towards Nyssa with his own things in hand

"Yes you will" Nyssa smiled before giving him a quick kiss

"And if you need a break, take one"

"Why are you reminding me of these things like I am a child?"

"Sorry, but I worry about you Nys"

"And I worry about you, but it's unnecessary. I trust that you can handle yourself and I hope that you'd trust me in the same way"

"I do, that you don't have to worry about" Oliver smiled, then kissed her once more "See you tonight"

Nyssa gave a small wave to Oliver and William as they walked out the front door of the house. After the door was locked, Nyssa finished up her cup of tea and then walked downstairs. Her weapons were just as she left them, so she put them all in the proper places before looking back at the table where her circlet was. Nyssa put it on her head where it usually sat, but ended up getting one of her shorter pieces of hair stuck in the swirled pattern. She pulled it off again and after some readjusting, she put it back on her head. Shorter hair was going to take some getting used to

-(=+=)-

"You are making excellent time today! What changed?" Elena asked while looking down a small notecard

"I want to die" Nyssa groaned from the floor, where she had her back leaning up against a wall

"Well don't die yet. Maybe tomorrow, but not today. We still have things to do, or at least you do" Elena teased "But seriously, what changed?"

"Uhh….Oliver's being unbelievably supportive, but I got no sleep last night between the Russia traveling and Dakota's last minute requests for me to travel half way across the world at five in the damn morning"

"Want me to beat him up for you?"

"I have no doubt that you could kick his ass, but don't do it while you're pregnant, please?"

"Ugh! Everyone's saying 'Elena, take it easy' and 'Elena, you're pushing yourself too hard'! Women who are pregnant with one child and at five months collapse from things like walking up three flights of stairs! I haven't collapsed even once, even after an hour of sword fighting and they have the nerve to tell me to take it easy?!" Elena questioned, but then looked down at Nyssa, who was just snickering "What! You think I'm joking?!"

"No, no I'm on your side" Nyssa laughed while pinching the bridge of her nose "You said there were other things to do"

"Yes I did! Kigoma, done. Commander testing, done. Spain, done. All that's left is your work with-"

"Nyssa!" A voice called from the entrance of the main hall

"Speak of the devil" Nyssa muttered

"Quite literally" Elena snickered "You have fun Nys! I'm going to go bother Andrew"

"Heh, you have fun with that" Nyssa replied before turning to the person who had just walked in "Nazaria"

"I was expecting to see you yesterday, but seeing as what happened, I can understand while you baled" Nazaria said as she came to a stop

"Yeah, that came up without warning. Apologies" Nyssa replied

"At least it gives us today to finish what we've been working on" Nazaria started "And it's like you knew I was coming. You're back at the spot"

"Sure, that's what happened" Nyssa said while looking around the entrance hall

"Let's not waste any more time. We have much to catch up on"

Nyssa followed Nazaria up the stone staircase that led up to the platform just in front of the waterfall. She and Nazaria had made that their place to practice, after all, it was the site where the nine swords were bonded. In the eyes of the league, it was more than a historical and sacred site. It held as much importance as the site of creation which was said to be the location of the Garden of Eden.

"We've finished your lessons in five of the nine powers" Nazaria stated once they were standing apart from each other on the platform "We're left with celestial, illusion, light, and darkness"

"I vote we should focus on Celestial. I could use the extra time" Nyssa spoke up

"You are just like when you were a child" Nazaria stated "This time, we're going towards darkness"

"Are you sure it wouldn't be easier to begin with….light?"

"No. Darkness is the hardest element to master, no matter who you are. It has a certain unpredictability that makes it extremely dangerous to all those who use it. Once you learn to control it, then all the remaining elements become easier control with practice"

"Okay. How do we start?" Nyssa asked

"Open your mind. Darkness may seem dangerous to those uneducated, but it is nothing more than a simple opposite or light, a thing we all enjoy. It's what surrounds the stars and everything around us and it's beautiful, but when spoken out plainly, it is seen as something negative. Your first step; recognize that darkness, like all other elements, has beauty" Nazaria explained "I want you to start with a simple plume, right here in the center"

Nyssa extended on hand towards the center of the platform and turned it ninety degrees to the side. As she did, a small plume of black mist appeared in the center of the large circle where designs were carved into the stone. Nazaria looked down at the plume, up at Nyssa, then back down at the darkness

"Do you see how it is moving?" Nazaria asked "Wildly. Without control"

"What do I do to fix it?" Nyssa asked

"Open yourself. Allow that feeling of control from the element takeover"

"Isn't that a bad idea?"

"It could be, but we're going to do it anyway" Nazaria said "Take a strong stance, but open yourself up. Allow everything that is normally in your control become free for a moment"

Nyssa fixed her stance, closed her eyes, and tried to focus on what Nazaria was saying.

"Breathe" Nazaria spoke up

Nyssa took a deep breath and tried to do what Nazaria was saying, but was finding it harder done than said. After almost two minutes, she opened her eyes and stood back up straight, only to discover that the small plume that had been between her and Nazaria had disappeared

"I want you to do something for me" Nazaria said "Walk"

"What?"

"Walk towards me, as you normally do"

Nyssa hesitated slightly, but walked towards Nazaria like instructed. The priestess watched her intently and when they were two feet apart, Nyssa stopped

"Naturally, you take such a firm stance that it's impossible for anything to get through to you" Nazaria said while continuing to look at Nyssa "Stay here"

Nyssa watched as Nazaria walked down from the platform. She turned around and just watched the waterfall for a few moments before Nazaria returned with about eight books in hand

"Discard all your weapons to the side" Nazaria said as she walked back up the stairs

"Wait, why?"

"Because this exercise will help you. Your weapons will only slow you down"

While Nyssa took off her quiver, sword sheath, and other weapons from her person, Nazaria set the books down off to the side. When Nyssa had all her weapons to the edge of the platform, Nazaria approached her with a one of the books

"Put this on your head and walk"

"Is this for posture practice?"

"No, something else"

Nyssa took the book and put it on her head so she was balancing it perfectly. She looked at Nazaria and waited for further instructions, but the priestess only gestured to the open area in front of her. Nyssa took a few steps forward and as she did, she found that she had to adjust her posture a bit more to ensure that the book didn't fall, but soon, she was walking at a normal pace

"I don't understand the point of this" Nyssa confessed

"The way you are walking in makes you vulnerable, and you can't stop that. It looks powerful and dignified, but it's more open as well. The first step to mastering the dark element is to open yourself up so that you can fully understand how and why the element works in the ways it does" Nazaria said as she picked up another book "When I add another one, you will see that you have to adjust even more and it will make you even more open. As the number of books increase, so will your openness. When you are actually using the element, it is important to maintain a mindset and stance like the one you are currently in"

Nazaria moved forward and Nyssa lowered herself slightly so another book could be placed on her head. When it was on top of the other, Nyssa felt the weight shift but was able to quickly adjust. As she continued to walk and perfect her stance, Nazaria would add another book. Almost half an hour passed before they had reached the eight book total. When Nyssa turned back around after perfecting that stance, Nazaria smiled slightly

"Now that you have a good posture, I want you to try creating another plum, but this time, bigger" Nazaria instructed

"How big?" Nyssa asked

"Fill up that entire circle"

Nyssa looked down at the ground and at the circle that was in the dead center of the platform. It had a radius of at least six and a half feet so filling up the entire thing would definitely be a challenge. While Nyssa was starting to take her stance, Nazaria snuck behind her and pulled the books off her head. When she did, Nyssa kept her stance and kept on focusing on the circle ahead of her. She extended on hand and started to turn it to the side. As she did, the engravings in the outer border of the circle started to change to a pure shade of black, then the rest of the lines changed into the same shade. A wall of back mist slowly started to creep up from the outer border of the circle and into the air. As it kept rising, Nyssa felt herself hesitate slightly when seeing just how big and how uncontrollable it could get

"Remember, the darkness will only hurt you if you give it a reason to. Open your mind" Nazaria said from off to the side

Nyssa tried to focus on what she was saying and when she fixed her technique, the darkness almost seemed more controllable. When she had brought the column up and it touched the ceiling, a small gust of wind shot out in all directions from the top of it, causing the whole thing to slowly start to spin, but not move from it's original position

"You did it" Nazaria said "You're a natural"

"Thanks" Nyssa said as she released her stance, allowing for the column to fade out

"Now that we've established control, it's time to move onto using the darkness in more situations than when you're standing still" Nazaria said "And that's why I have this"

Nazaria reached into a small pocket in her long skirt and pulled out a small object that looked like a black onyx, but it was surrounded by a silvery blue border made of some type of metal with some engravings in it

"This" Nazaria said as she pinned it to the center of her chest like a broche "Is the death totem"

"Death totem?" Nyssa asked "D-Didn't the legends have possession of those?"

"Yes, they did" Nazaria said "After their battle with Mallus, Sara and the rest of the legends handed Amaya's future daughter, Kuasa, four of the six totems. Her job was protecting them, and as she is an old friend of mine, I explained our situation to her and she lent it to me for this purpose. Of course, I never could have found her without a certain someone's help"

"Who's this 'certain someone'?" Nyssa asked

"That remains a secret, at least until tomorrow. They wished to come see you"

"A-Alright…?"

"Now, we need to continue working" Nazaria said as she started walking down the staircase, Nyssa following close behind "In the way we are going to do this, I am going to play offensive, you defensive. You are only going to use darkness to defend yourself"

"What happens if I don't?"

"Well that's to be decided, but I may kick it up a notch every time I see another element besides darkness" Nazaria warned "Take your stance"

Nyssa took her stance as Nazaria walked to the other side of the entrance hall so they were around twenty five feet apart. Nazaria tapped the totem and was immediately surrounded by a silvery black aura that faded away after a few seconds. Nazaria stepped forward and shot her hand in front of her. Nyssa didn't expect the sudden attack of a silvery looking mist and was only able to create a barrier at the last second. By the time the barrier dropped, another one of Nazaria's shots was hurling towards her. It hit Nyssa straight on and she was sent flying back and crashing into a wall. While she was still in a daze and trying to regain the breath that had been knocked out of her, Nazaria started walking up towards her

"We'll work on blocks first, then offensive attacks. As we go, we'll incorporate aspects of control and forging with other elements, which, might I warn you can be very dangerous" Nazaria said

"Great" Nyssa groaned as she got up from the ground "How do I start?"

"Your stance"

-(=+=)-

"So how was school today?" Oliver asked as he took his seat at the island next to Nyssa and William

"Pretty good. It was a pretty easy day since we got out for break today" William replied "Kaida, Zoe and Monica are all trying to get together to go do something so me and my friends want to do something involving frogs"

"Certainly sounds like your group" Oliver chuckled before turning to Nyssa "You're pretty quiet"

"I like the quiet" Nyssa replied casually

"As I've noticed. How did things go in Finiks Jurf"

"Got everything done for today if that's what you mean" Nyssa replied "Although Nazaria's idea of training is questionable at times. I don't even remember how many times she sent me into that wall"

"What wall? What were you doing?" Oliver asked

"We're working more on training and to help me, she found an old friend who was in possession of the death totem. She used it to teach me about seven different block styles and a couple offensive moves but she said that the person who helped her find the totems is coming to Finiks Jurf tomorrow because they want to see me" Nyssa replied

"Any idea who it is?" William asked

"Not a clue" Nyssa replied "Beloved, you're up! How was your day?"

"Uneventful for the most part. Quentin brought in some good coffee today so he treated the council to some decent cups this morning" Oliver replied "Other than that, just meetings and paperwork"

"So, um, this is kind of last minute" William started "But, um, Jasper is going out of town for thanksgiving and he's leaving tomorrow morning"

"That's neat. Where's he going?" Oliver asked

"Somewhere in Tennessee to see some cousins" William replied "He's been looking for someone to watch his dog for the last six days and all the other people's he's tried have said no, so he went to one of his neighbors who's pretty sketchy and asked them. They agreed, but he's still uncertain and…..asked me if I could watch his dog…..do you think I could do it?"

"Is the dog house trained?" Oliver asked

"Yeah! He's about a year and a half old" William replied

"What breed?"

"Border Collie"

"So it sheds" Oliver muttered

"Yeah, but I can vacuum if need be and Jasper said that if you just brush his coat through every morning, then his shedding goes down a lot" William said

"And how long would you be watching him?" Nyssa asked

"Until Sunday Afternoon" William said "So about five days. Jasper would bring over everything we need to take care of him and if we end up needing to buy something while they're away, Jasper said he'd repay us. So do you think I could watch him? Pleeeease?"

"I mean" Oliver started "I don't see why you couldn't, just take care of him and on Thursday, keep him in check or in the cage because there will be a lot of people here, at least, more than usual. Nys?"

"I don't think I'd be a problem" Nyssa replied "But do take note of what your father said"

"So I can watch him?" William asked excitedly

"Yes buddy, you can watch his dog" Oliver replied

"Yes! I'm going to go call him so he doesn't have to worry!" William said as he sprung up from his stool and out of the room "Thank you!"

"How do you think this is going to turn out?" Nyssa asked

"William's a responsible kid, I think he'll do just fine" Oliver replied "Besides, he's been hinting at wanting a pet for the past few months"

"Yes, that hasn't gone unnoticed"

"This could be a good test for him. Maybe if all goes well, we consider getting him a pet" Oliver started "A low maintenance one since we're all out of the house all day"

"That would definitely be interesting" Nyssa said with a small nod

"Dad! Mom!" William said as he ran into the room "Jasper's going to drop off Caspian tonight! He'll be here in fifteen minutes!"

"Caspian?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, that's the name of his dog but he calls him Cas for short" William replied

"Okay, okay that's fine just figure out where you're going to keep everything while he's here" Oliver said

"I'll go do that!" William said as he ran out of the room once again

"This is going to be interesting" Nyssa muttered

"I'll say. I've never had a dog before. You?" Oliver asked

"Once, when I was six" Nyssa started "My father made me kill it. It was an adorable little black lab. I love that little animal for the few months I had him"

"That certainly wasn't the direction I was expecting that to go in" Oliver replied as he stood up from the counter "I'm going to start in on the dishes. Can you make sure that William's got all of this under control"

"Yeah, I can do that" Nyssa replied as she also got up

"Good luck with excited William" Oliver chuckled

"Beloved, he's my son. I know how to handle this" Nyssa said with a small laugh as she left to go find out where William had run off to exactly

-(=+=)-

"There here!" William said as he ran down the stairs after hearing a knock on the door

William quickly ran to the door with his parents behind him a bit. He unlocked it and opened up one of the French doors to see Jasper standing outside with his parents, a large supply of pet related things, and a large border collie on a blue leash that looked rather excited

"Jasper!" William greeted "Is this Caspian?"

"Yeah, this is Cas" Jasper replied "He's really excited actually"

"I can tell. Want to come inside?"

"Sure!"

William stepped aside, allowing Jasper and his parents to both walk inside. While Jasper and William immediately ran off with Caspian, his parents stayed behind with Oliver and Nyssa

"Hi, Jared Kingston" The man greeted as he shook Oliver and Nyssa's hands "This is my wife, Marie"

"Nice to meet you both" Oliver said in a rather mayor like smile that seemed to satisfy both the Kingstons.

"Thank you so much for watching Caspian. Jasper's been having such a hard time finding someone reliable to watch him while we're gone" Jared said

"It's not a problem at all. Glad we could help out, in fact, this is a really good opportunity for William. He's been slipping in little 'reminders' that he wants a pet of some sort" Oliver replied

"Well glad we could help out with William's test" Marie said "Should we go find our boys and make sure they're not getting into too much trouble?"

"Yes, that would probably be best" Oliver replied

Oliver led the way into the dining room, where they saw William and Jasper playing with Caspian in the open area. Both the boys stopped what they were doing and turned their attention towards the adults while Caspian seemed to do the same, dropping his toy and sitting still while his leash laid loosely to the side

"So is this where you're going to set him up?" Oliver asked

"Yeah, Jasper says that Caspian has a cage that he usually sleeps in so we can set that up in this corner along with his food bowls and other things" William replied

"How about you two go get the cage out of the back of the car" Jared recommended

"Okay, can we leave Cas here?" Jasper asked

"Yeah, he'll be fine" Oliver replied

"C'mon William! You have got to see this cage!" Jasper expressed as they ran back towards the front door

"I'm coming!" William laughed "Hey, we should FaceTime Zoe and show her this! She loves dogs!"

"Yeah, score yourself some lady points with my dog are you?" Jasper teased before they ran out the door

"Those two" Marie laughed "I hope they stay like that forever"

"Yeah, college payment is going to become a real pain" Jared said with a small whistle, then a laugh "But it shouldn't be a problem for you guys. Bet you can't wait to see William continue the Queen legacy as important public figures"

"We just want him to be happy and successful, not matter what he does" Nyssa spoke up, for the first time

"Those are always the best intentions" Jared said

While the adults continued to talk, Caspian sat in the middle of the open area of the dining room. His dark eyes darted from side to side, taking in everything that was new. New was exciting, but also new people and there were three new people to play with in one place! One looked tall and wore a large smile while laughing with his older owners, but the other at his side seemed super shy almost. Although they were silent, they seemed nice. A better greeting wouldn't hurt

"Yeah, so we have a rotation for family get togethers and for this holiday, we're all gathering in Nashville to see my brother and his family" Jared explained "So what are you guys doing for the holidays?"

"Well we have some people that we usually invite over; friends, family, and some others" Oliver replied "But since we have a larger house this year, we're definitely going to-"

Oliver didn't get to finish his sentence before the sound of quick scampering caught everyone's attention. There was barely any time to react before Caspian launched himself up into the air and straight towards Nyssa. He pushed her back down to the floor while she tried to block him, but Nyssa was only greeted by a bunch of licks to the face

"Oliver!" Nyssa said while trying to get Caspian off her and blocking his kisses

"Caspian!" Jared said as he pulled the dog's collar back "I'm really sorry about that. He doesn't usually launch himself like that"

"It's fine" Nyssa said as she took Oliver's hand and stood up from the ground "I'm going to go wash all of….this off"

"We'll take care of Cas" Oliver said as Nyssa started walking towards the stairs

Nyssa quickly walked up the stairs while trying not to cringe at all the dog slobber on her face and hands. She stepped into her and Oliver's bathroom and immediately started to wash all of it off. When it felt like it was all off, Nyssa rested her hands on the edge of the sink and looked in the mirror while her face was still dripping wet. A shorter piece of hair had fallen down in the center of her left eye and when she tried to blow it off to the side, it was only pushed up before it stick to the front of her face. It was going to be a long week, that much could already be told

-(=+=)-

It had been an hour and a half since Jasper and his parents left the Queen household, making the place just that much quieter. William and Jasper had set up everything for Caspian and had gone over a schedule and basic care guidelines. Since it was now the break, William was occupied with Caspian and a very competitive game of tug a war. While he was downstairs in the dining room, Nyssa and Oliver were both upstairs in their bedroom. Oliver was reading the book that he had fallen asleep reading the previous night while Nyssa sat near the foot of the bed reading over somethings that Elena had written out for some coordination missions coming up in the next week

"So" Oliver started while the room was quiet, only lit by the two bedside lamps "I was thinking about our guest list for Thanksgiving"

"Yes?"

"And I wanted to run this by you because it may be a more….sensitive topic….?"

"Beloved, you're starting to babble" Nyssa said while not looking up from her papers

"So in addition to the people we normally invite; Rene, Zoe, Curtis, Thea….there's two, maybe three others I'd like to invite"

"Well who are they?"

Oliver sat up straight, scooted to the end of the bed where Nyssa was, and whispered the three names into her ear. When he pulled away, she looked at him with a puzzled look and a bit of concern

"I understand the first two, but why the third? Are you sure that's a good idea after what happened last time?" Nyssa asked

"I'm positive. I think something's changed"

"I trust you. If you think they really have changed, then I'm behind you on this"

"Well then" Oliver started "This is definitely going to be an interesting Thanksgiving"

 **Author's Note: This is really off my normal schedule, but I needed a small break/refresher from Queens and Assassins plus I was getting excited about uploading this chapter. Normal schedule should be back soon**


	38. Three Saviors

"William!" Oliver called from the top of the stairs "Buddy, it's time to wrap things up! It's getting late!"

"Okay, okay I'm coming! Just give me a sec!" William called back

"Is he still downstairs playing with Caspian?" Nyssa asked when Oliver walked back into the room

"Yeah, but he should be getting to bed. I know he doesn't have school tomorrow but it's still getting close to midnight" Oliver replied

'No need to justify it. I get it" Nyssa said

"So are you actually going to get some sleep tonight?" Oliver asked

"I'm going to try to, but it's definitely a possibility. I've still got things I need to finish for the league but I'm hoping that with a little bit of schedule bending, I can push the due dates back a bit"

"Why don't you just make the due dates go back. You are the leader of that entire place, aren't you?"

"Yes, but we have over eight different divisions and I can't just command them all. That would be too overwhelming. Each division has a leader, like Zayn's the leader of the science division and Andrew's recently become the head of the coordination and geographical division. They all report to me and I give them direct orders of what should be done within their division so I need to make sure I have a consistent schedule so one division doesn't get screwed over and if that did happen, there's a very good chance that some mission would go south and there would be casualties. We haven't had any deaths since November 2nd and I'd like to keep it like that"

"That was a longer answer than I was expecting" Oliver admitted "Well I'm going to get changed because sleeping in jeans is not comfortable at all. I'll just shower in the morning since I have that press conference"

"Maybe you won't have to" Nyssa said from where she was looking out the window

"What do you mean?" Oliver asked as he approached

"Looks like it's going to start storming tonight"

Oliver looked out the window and saw the droplets of water gliding down the glass from outside, but could also hear the patter of rain up against the side of the house

"That's not all bad. I don't know about you, but I love falling asleep to the sound of rain" Oliver said

"It is quite nice" Nyssa admitted "But you'll want to plan accordingly for tomorrow"

"Don't worry, I got it"

"I got Caspian in his pen! I'm heading to bed!" William called from the doorway of his room

"Okay, night buddy" Oliver called back "Now back to what I was originally going to do"

As Oliver walked into the bathroom and pulled the door behind him, making sure it was still cracked, Nyssa stood up from the foot of the bed and took off the sweater she had been wearing over the light set of clothes that she already liked sleeping in. When her sweater was put back in her closet, which was smaller than Oliver's, she sat back down on the edge of the bed with the notebook she had been writing in. Because the expansion of the cliff was still in the planning phase, Nyssa had been working on some additional mapping for other features to add in another time since the size of the league was expected to grow exponentially within the next five years

"Nys?" Oliver asked from behind

"Hmm?" Nyssa asked as she snapped her head up

"You went into one of those dazes again" Oliver started as he slipped underneath the covers "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind"

"You want to talk about it. I've found that that helps on occasion"

"We'd be here all night and maybe part of the morning"

"That's fine. I'm here to listen"

"Maybe another time. I actually want to get some sleep tonight"

"Okay, that's fine. Wait, how long has it been since you actually slept? Two days?"

"Three" Nyssa corrected

"Well maybe we should stop talking so you can get some sleep"

"You can keep talking, but I can't guarantee that I'll be staying awake to listen, although I will try to"

"Nah, just try to get some sleep" Oliver said before leaning over and capturing a kiss

Nyssa flashed him a quick smile before marking her spot in her work and leaning back into the thick blankets. Oliver naturally snuggled up closer and felt her relax in his embrace, meaning it wasn't going to be long before they would both fall asleep

-(=+=)-

A low whimper coming from the ground caused Nyssa to shift her position closer towards the center of the bed in an attempt to ignore it, but only another whimper came as a response. Oliver tried to bury his head further into the pillow but the whimper turned into a slight growl. The room was silent for another five seconds after the growl, but as soon as that time mark passed, something jumped up on the bed. Nyssa opened her eyes and a large black and white dog walking around near the end of the bed, but slowly coming closer to the headboard while whimpering

"Cas….go away!" Oliver groaned

Caspian only walked up closer to the headboard until he was right in between Nyssa and Oliver. Nyssa just sighed as she got out of bed and grabbed her sweater from a chair that was to the left of the bed

"Cas, get down" Nyssa said with a small snap

Caspian immediately perked up from where he was looking over Oliver and jumped off the bed. Nyssa glanced over at the clock and saw what it read; 1:16am. She walked towards the door to their room and discovered that it had been pushed up further than they had left it. She tried to ignore it as she ushered Caspian out of the room, then shut the door behind her. Caspian followed her down the stairs and towards the sliding glass door that led out to the deck. When Nyssa entered the living room, she saw that the glass was completely covered in rain and that the deck was soaking wet.

"Be quick" Nyssa muttered as she opened the door

As soon as the door was opened wide enough, Caspian shot out on the deck and quickly found his way down the side staircase that led down to the large plot of land that was deemed the backyard. There still wasn't a fence put up around the property, but Oliver said that when they end up building the pool, they'll also put up a fence.

About ten minutes passed and Nyssa was still waiting by the back door for Caspian, but the dog had yet to come back inside. She looked out the windows but wasn't able to see him even from her height. When she squinted her eyes, Nyssa could see the faint figure of the dog splashing through the puddles on the far end of the backyard. Nyssa groaned as she walked towards the front door and picked up her boots. Once they were on, she flipped up the hood on her sweater and stepped out into the pouring rain. She quickly made her way down the stairs and down into the field, which had become a mixture of muddy slush and some blades of grass. Nyssa trudged through it while trying to ignore all the mud and general coldness of the air around her.

"Caspian!" Nyssa called

Caspian picked his head up from the area where he was sniffing and almost seemed to smile at Nyssa. Instead of coming when he was called, he started jumping around Nyssa, almost like he was trying to play

"Caspian, get back here!" Nyssa kept calling over and over again, but the dog only seemed to find amusement in her calls

Nyssa eventually had enough and started walking towards the dog to grab his collar, but Caspian continued to jump around, refusing to get her take ahold of his collar. Caspian decided to have a bit of fun and started brushing up against Nyssa's legs. She kept trying to grab his collar, as it was the only way to grab ahold of him without causing pain, but when she reached down, Caspian weaved in between her legs. The sudden loss of balance sent Nyssa falling backwards and into one of the muddy puddles that had formed. When she hit the ground, Nyssa felt the mud cling to her sweater and back, along with the mud that had seeped into her boots and just groaned as she stood up. Caspian was still prancing around in the mud, like he was celebrating a victory, but didn't expect it when Nyssa took a forceful grip on his collar. Nyssa almost had to drag Caspian back towards the house, but as they got closer, Nyssa realized that Caspian was almost completely covered in mud.

"Fantastic" Nyssa muttered

The league had built the safe house in attempt to accommodate any situation, and one of the perks of that was actually having a garage with a patio near it. Nyssa changed directions from the staircase of the deck, that was to the right, and went to the left instead, where the pathway to the garage was. When she reached the back of it, she immediately dragged Caspian underneath the covered area of the patio. Nyssa reached for the hose and did her best to get out all the mud that had almost been rubbed into the dog's fur. When she had finally got it all out, Nyssa looked around for something she could use to dry him off, but didn't find anything. The closest thing she had was her sweater, so Nyssa took it off, turned it inside out, and used it to dry the dog's feet.

"C'mon Cas" Nyssa said with a small snap as she opened the back door into the garage.

The now clean dog looked toward her and walked inside the open door. Nyssa followed behind and opened another door that led into a small stairwell that led back inside the house and into the basement where Nyssa usually left in the morning. It was one of the other perks of living in an old league safe house; the secret passageways.

When they stepped back inside the house, Nyssa immediately took off her wet and muddy boots and set them down to the side. She led the way back up the stairs and once she reached the top, she stepped into the dining room. Now with a perfect view, Nyssa could see that the lock on the crate had been broken and that the fence around it had been pushed open.

Nyssa approached the pen and ushered Caspian inside. She did her best to close the pen door and once she deemed it stable, Nyssa started walking away so she could get changed. She didn't even get to round the corner when Caspian took a few steps back and jumped right over the top of the pen, then started scampering towards Nyssa. She immediately turned around and started cursing under her breath as she put him back in the pen. Once again, Nyssa started walking away but when she heard his movements, she turned around just in time to see Caspian stopping his attempt to jump over the pen. Nyssa turned away again, so he tried to jump.

"You have to be kidding me" Nyssa muttered

Of course, Caspian thought this was a game and every time Nyssa had her back turned towards the pen, he would try to jump over it but he would stay in it when she was looking. Nyssa groaned as she pulled out one of the chairs that had been pushed into the dining table and sat down. Usually when the house wasn't clean, there was some type of coat or sweater draped over the back of one of the chairs, but because the house was clean this time around, there wasn't anything to use for warmth. She could already tell it was going to be a long night

-(=+=)-

Oliver woke up to the annoying sound of the alarm he had set on his phone and groaned as he started to run his hand over the top of the bedside table in order to find it. He picked up his phone, turned the alarm off, and then started to adjust to the very small amount of sunlight that was coming through the windows.

"Morning Nys-" Oliver started as he turned to his side, but discovered that her side of the bed was empty, and cold "Nys?"

Oliver got out of bed and glanced back down at his phone; 6:15am. There's no way she would have left for Finiks Jurf this early, so Oliver opened to door and stepped out into the hallway. He walked down stairs and started looking around the living room, but didn't find her there either. The next place to look was the basement, so Oliver walked towards the dining room to the door but when he entered, he saw Nyssa sitting at the dining room table using one hand to hold her head up while she wrote something down in a small notebook.

"Nyssa? What are you doing down here?" Oliver asked as he approached "And why are you all muddy?"

"Caspian" Nyssa muttered "Wouldn't let me leave"

"What do you mean?"

"I took him out last night after he jumped up on the bed, but he ended up getting all muddy. I got all the mud off but he wouldn't let me leave the room because every time I turned my back, he would jump out of the pen" Nyssa replied while she still kept her head down

"So you've been here all night?" Oliver asked, but didn't get a definite reply "Did you get any sleep?"

"I couldn't….Caspian would jump out every time I closed my eyes"

"Nyssa, why didn't you just wake me up?"

"You were asleep. Besides, you have that press conference today so you could use the sleep"

"I've gone without sleep many times before but you're practically killing yourself"

"I'm fine, really"

"Nys, it's been four days. You're not sleeping, you're barely eating and you've been pushing yourself too hard. You're going to end up hurting yourself" Oliver started "I'm calling Elena. You're staying here today"

"I can't stay here today" Nyssa said as she finally picked her head up "Nazaria wants me to finish a set of offensive maneuvers today and I'm supposed to be meeting the person that helped her get the death totem. From what I've heard, pissing them off couldn't prove useful to the league"

"I'll go then"

"How exactly would you get to Finiks Jurf?" Nyssa asked "It would take over thirty two hours just to get you there, but even then, you don't know how to run a league and would need to rely on Elena more than anything. She's got enough things to worry about…."

"And you don't?"

"I'm fine….please, just, leave it alone" Nyssa started "I'll go there, finish the day, come home, go out with the team tonight because it's my night to do the patrol, and finally get some sleep"

"I don't think this is going to work"

"I'll call if something goes wrong" Nyssa said as she stood up "You should go get dressed as well"

Oliver didn't really have time to respond before Nyssa started walking downstairs and into the basement. He glanced over to Caspian's pen and saw the dog was asleep, but when he looked closer, he saw that his eyes were only half closed, like he was still playing the game. Oliver just shook his head slightly as he started walking back up the stairs

When he got back into his room, Oliver picked up his phone and scrolled through the contacts until he found the one he was looking for. A couple rings went by before someone picked up

 _"_ _Oliver! Good evening, or morning where you are"_ Elena said when she picked up _"What's going on?"_

"Elena, what's supposed to be happening today in Finiks Jurf?" Oliver asked

 _"_ _Umm…we're dispatching the new commanders on their first missions, there's a friend of Nazaria's that's coming today to meet up with Nyssa, we're finishing up the formal alliance with the Celestial Order, there are some more EW experiments taking place, and I believe Nyssa's supposed to be catching up on some work with Nazaria"_ Elena replied _"Why? What's going on?"_

"Nyssa's being unreasonable again"

 _"_ _How so?"_

"It's been four days and she still hasn't got any sleep. She's going to end up hurting herself and I want her to stay here today, but she says there's too much she has to do"

 _"_ _I told her to get some sleep! What was she doing?!"_

"William took on the responsibility of watching his friend's large dog while he's out of town. The dog kept Nyssa up all night"

 _"_ _And where were you?"_

"Asleep….she didn't wake me up because she thinks my press conference is more important than her"

 _"_ _Well shit…."_ Elena muttered _"I already know for a fact that Nyssa's not going to listen to me if I tell her to stay home. I have a crazy idea but you are probably not going to like it….at all"_

"The table's open"

 _"_ _I can have Nazaria knock her out today while they're practicing"_

"What?!" Oliver questioned "You have to be kidding me"

 _"_ _It would seem like an accident but you know that Nyssa's not going to listen if we just 'talk' to her. This seems like the only way we can help her in secret"_

"Wouldn't that just hurt her?"

 _"_ _If done incorrectly, then yeah, but Nazaria knows what she's doing"_

"If you think it will help her….." Oliver started, but then paused "Do it"

 _"_ _You sure? I expected a bit more of an argument from you"_

"You're right in the regards of her not listening and if we let her keep going, then she is going to hurt herself. I trust you won't screw this up but if you do, I'll be coming there myself"

 _"_ _You wouldn't be you if you didn't"_ Elena started _"Alright, I'll go deliver the message"_

"Okay….thanks, I guess"

 _"_ _No problem"_

Oliver hung up the phone and just sighed as he went into his closet to find his business suit. When he was all dressed and ready to go, he made his way out of his own room and towards William's door

"William?" Oliver asked while lightly knocking "Are you up buddy?"

"Yeah, I'm up" William said as he opened the door, already dressed "Are you going to city hall?"

"Yeah. I don't get the day off like you do" Oliver chuckled "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah actually. Tom and I wanted to play with Caspian so I was going to meet up with him at the park just a few blocks away. Is that alright?"

"Sure, but why don't I just give you a ride there on the way to city hall? It may be easier"

"Okay, that works out. I'll get my things"

"Hey William"

"Yeah Dad?"

"When you get home later on, I need you to figure out a way to keep Caspian in his pen or crate overnight so he doesn't break out"

"Wait, why?"

"Caspian broke out last night and ended up keeping Mom up all night. I don't want something like that to happen again tonight"

"Okay, I'll call Jasper and see if he has any suggestions"

"Good. Meet me downstairs when you're ready"

Oliver walked down the stairs and stopped in his office to grab the things he would need at the office that day. Once everything was gathered, he started walking towards the kitchen to get coffee but when he got there, he noticed that Nyssa wasn't there. Oliver saw that the basement door was still cracked open so he walked towards it and down the stairs.

"Nyssa? You down here?" Oliver asked as he continued to walk down

"Yeah" Nyssa replied

Oliver jumped down from one of the stairs and saw Nyssa standing over one of the tables, reading over a map with Greek writing while tightening the strings on her bracer

"Are you going to be leaving soon?" Oliver asked

"Yeah. I heard you're leaving soon as well" Nyssa replied

"Right, and I'm dropping William off at the park where he's going to meet up with Tom. He's also going to bring Caspian with him"

"Thank god"

"You don't like the dog?"

"He would have destroyed the house if left alone" Nyssa replied "He's just a handful"

"Agreed. Are you going to come upstairs before you go?"

"I'm already running behind so not today" Nyssa said as she finally turned around "See you later tonight?"

"Yeah, see you later tonight" Oliver said before giving her a quick kiss "And Nys?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful today….please?"

"I'm always careful" Nyssa said with a small smile as she started grabbing the few things she would need

"Right…" Oliver said as he started to turn around

As Oliver walked up the stairs, he could hear the sounds of Nyssa moving around downstairs, but thinking about it more only made him regret his choice. He knew that it would end up being good for her but now didn't think it was the best way to go about and try to fix the problem

-(=+=)-

Nyssa walked into the entrance hall of Finiks Jurf, only having been there for less than five minutes, when Elena spotted her and came running towards her

"Nyssa!" She called

"Hey" Nyssa greeted "I was just heading to the library. There's something I want to check up on for the expansion"

"Okay" Elena started "So how did you sleep last night?

"Fine….why?"

"Stop lying"

"I'm not"

"Oliver said differently"

"Oliver called you?"

"Yes"

"Well he's wrong"

"Oh?"

"I got an hour of sleep. I'm fine" Nyssa huffed "I have to go"

"By the way!" Elena called "Nazaria is going to be looking for you soon! She's off with the visitor right now but she'll be here within the next hour or so!"

"Got it" Nyssa replied

Elena sighed as she walked in the opposite direction, off to find Nazaria and remind her of the plan. Hopefully it would all go as planned

-(=+=)-

"Hey" Thea greeted as she took a seat across from Oliver at a small table in the lobby "I thought you got all that done"

"Just finishing up the last few things from that press conference. Quentin recommended that I get on this sooner rather than later" Oliver started "So you're still coming for thanksgiving tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, I'll be there. Who else is coming?"

"So far it's Rene, Zoe, Curtis, you, maybe Quentin, and I wanted to invite three other people"

"Ooh, who are those people then?"

"It's a surprise, especially for you"

"Ugh! You and surprises!" Thea groaned "Well I need to head back upstairs. Unlike you, my lunch break comes later"

"Alright, I need to actually call those three and see if they can actually make it"

"Good luck with that. Hope it all goes well" Thea replied

Once Thea was gone, Oliver pulled out his phone and dialed the first number. The person on the other end picked up rather quickly and after a few minutes of talking, they accepted the invitation and gave a time they would be there. The second person was a bit harder to schedule with, but they accepted the invitation as well. The last person, by far, was going to be the hardest to invite. Oliver dialed a number that was all too familiar and waited a few moments before someone picked up

 _"_ _Oliver?"_

"Hey Lyla, I need to ask for a favor…."

After Oliver's call with Lyla, he got up from his chair, gathered the few papers he had brought down with him, and started walking towards the elevator. When the elevator doors opened up, Oliver saw Tarren standing inside

"Hello there Mr. Queen" Tarren greeted

"Afternoon Tarren" Oliver said as he also stepped into the elevator "Going to the fourteenth floor I see"

"Yeah, I need to bother Natalie for your schedule so we can actually plan how we disperse the detail" Tarren replied "You finished your lunch break?"

"Yeah. Just got done inviting a bunch of people to the house for thanksgiving tomorrow. Do you have any plans?"

"I'm going out of town to visit my parents and my siblings so it's going to be a pretty simple year. How about you? Sounds like you're having a big party"

"Oh yeah. We did this last year but now that we aren't in the penthouse, we can have a much bigger get together"

"Sounds pretty grand" Tarren said as the elevator dinged "Are you going to be attending the thanksgiving food drive earlier in the morning?"

"I wanted to, but Quentin said that it was something he wanted to do this year instead, so I let him take that role"

"Very generous of you. I remember that it was a highlight of your thanksgiving last year" Tarren started "Anyway, I need to go bother your assistant. You know where to find me if you need anything. Oh, and happy thanksgiving"

"Happy thanksgiving to you too" Oliver said before they split directions

As Tarren walked towards the desk where Natalie worked, Oliver walked down the hallway until he reached a frosted door with a plate that read ' -Deputy Mayor'. Oliver gave a light knock on the door and when he heard a voice inside, he opened it up and stepped inside

"Oliver" Quentin greeted "Didn't think I'd see you this early"

"It's only eleven" Oliver said with a small chuckle

"I know. Usually you're stuck in a meeting" Quentin replied "So what can I do you for?"

"I was actually hoping to do something for you" Oliver started "Nyssa and I are having a bunch of people over for Thanksgiving tomorrow and seeing as you don't really have anyone to celebrate with, I'd like to invite you"

"Wow, I'm flattered" Quentin said "Yes, I'd love to come on by. Who else did you invite?"

"Rene and Zoe, Curtis, Thea, Dakota-"

"Dakota? I've heard that name floating around but I've never actually met….him?"

"Yeah, him"

"Who is he exactly?"

"Nyssa's twin brother"

"Since when does Nyssa have a brother, or a twin for that matter"

"Since July. He's the one who crashed our wedding but it was all just a huge misunderstanding. He's actually a really nice guy and since this is he and Nyssa's first year back together, after being separated from birth, she wanted him to come on by"

"Well that's certainly nice. Anyone else?"

"Yes. There are two, maybe three, other people, but they're all a surprise"

"This must be a really important surprise for you not to tell me"

"You'll just have to wait and see" Oliver smiled "So I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, I'll be there"

"Great, see you then"

-(=+=)-

Nyssa had just finished up her portion of research in the library along with the final placements for the news sections of Finiks Jurf. Now she actually had to give the information to Hayden, then it was off to get the new commanders dispatched after a final run through.

When she stepped into the main entrance of the hall, Nyssa saw three figures standing in the middle of the large, open area. She could easily tell that two of them were Elena and Nazaria, but the third one puzzled her slightly.

"Nyssa! Perfect timing!" Elena said as she started walking over "Look how convenient this is. I told you Nazaraia would come looking for you"

"I never doubted you" Nyssa said "So who's the visitor?"

"Well why don't you see for yourself"

Nyssa glanced at Elena suspiciously, but only got a small nudge from her. She started to walk closer to Nazaria and the visitor, who were in the middle of a conversation. As the light from the entrance started to decrease, Nyssa could easily tell that the visitor was a female from the figure. Nyssa couldn't help but notice that as she got closer, the figure familiarity seemed almost haunting, but when she was less than ten feet away, she understood why

"S-Sara….?!" Nyssa asked

"Hey Nys" Sara greeted with a small wave

"H-How…what-" Nyssa started, but didn't finish before Sara walked over to her and pulled her into a hug

"I missed you so much!" Sara said before she pulled away "I know it's only been about seven months but still"

"I missed you too" Nyssa said with a small smile

"Damn Nyssa, no offense, but you look terrible" Sara started "But you cut your hair. Looks good!"

"Just been busy. That's all" Nyssa replied "But what are you doing here? I thought you were off with the rest of the legends?"

"Well we successfully defeated Mallus and have started our next 'thing'. It's really something, but we all decided to work really hard the past week so we can all take Thanksgiving off to see our families" Sara replied "I was hoping to go to Star City to see my Dad, but I had some extra time so I figured I'd come here and see just what you've been up to"

"So did you take the Waverider here?"

"Yeah! I dropped everyone off and then flew the ship here. It's on your runway, hope you don't mind"

"No, it's fine" Nyssa replied

"Sooo, I've been given a tour of the place but Nazaria and Elena tell me you've been working on some things"

"They're correct in that sense"

"Okay then, want to spar?"

"You sure you want to do that?"

"Of course!" Sara said as she reached down to her boots and pulled out two halves to a bo staff "Which is why I brought these"

"Guess you weren't kidding" Nyssa chuckled

"Oh but fighting one, powerless, person would be too easy" Nazaria said with something that resembled a smirk "You versus Sara and I. You can only use the element of darkness"

"That almost seems unfair" Nyssa chuckled "Fine. I'll 'amuse' you both"

"Yeah, you go ahead and try Nys!" Sara laughed as she started walking towards the area where Nazaria and Nyssa usually spared

"You only get one shot at this, right?" Elena whispered to Nazaria from where they still stood

"Correct, or else she'll get suspicious" Nazaria whispered

"And did you tell Sara about the plan?"

"No. She'd object"

"What if she tries to protect Nyssa, even if you two are on the same team?"

"She won't. It will be too fast for her to try anything"

"Okay then. Go for it and please don't kill her"

"We have the waters. She won't die"

Elena nodded as Nazaria walked towards the sparring area while fixing the death totem near the center of her chest. She and Sara both took their stances on one side while Nyssa took her own on the other side.

"Best two out of three!" Sara called

"So be it!" Nyssa replied

Sara just smirked as she ran towards Nyssa with her bo staff at the ready. Nazaria hung back and took her own shot at Nyssa. Nazaria's gray and misty plume shot straight towards Nyssa, but she ducked out of the way and stood up in the perfect position right before Sara took a swing at her. Nyssa did her best to block Sara's hits with the staff, but had to fall back a bit when Nazaria kept throwing more hits at her. Sara finally swung her bo staff incredibly close to Nyssa's shoulder, but she jumped out of the way and kicked it out of the blonde's hand before it could come down on her. She barely had enough time to recover before Nazaria threw another shot at her, but Nyssa quickly blocked it with her own small plume of darkness

"Shit Nyssa" Sara said with a small laugh, mostly out of admiration "I didn't know you could do that"

"I've been learning some new tricks" Nyssa replied as she stood back up from her stance, making the small, black, plume disappear

"Quick on your feet. That's an improvement" Nazaria said "But we're still not done yet"

"I didn't expect us to" Nyssa breathed as she took another stance

Sara picked up her bo staff and went back so she was next to Nazaria, then took her stance. Nazaria glanced at Sara briefly before stepping forward and firing multiple plumes at Nyssa. Sara was about to step up, but then saw that she wouldn't be able to safely get to Nyssa with all the firing that was going on.

Nyssa countered all of Nazaria's incoming attacks with defensive moves that she had been taught the previous day. It was definitely easier than yesterday, but it was still a challenge to keep up. Nazaria saw that she was adapting to the fast pace and made it even faster. Instead of just avoiding the hits, Nyssa now had to incorporate the plumes of darkness into her own moves. As Nazaria's shots of silvery gray plumes can hurling towards her, Nyssa would throw her own shot at it and both would disappear in a smaller plume of smoke.

Nazaria was forced to step up her game a little, even though she was throwing almost two shots a second. She took a step forward and past Sara a bit. With some quick hand gestures forward, she sent a barrage of shots straight towards her opponent. Nyssa was already having a hard time as it was and now was barely able to keep up.

Nazaria watched carefully as Nyssa quickly countered all the shots, but just as the barrage was coming to an end, she released one more that was more forceful than the others. The silvery plume shot across the area in between them and without even slowing. Right as Nyssa had countered another hit, Nazaria's final shot hurled towards her and hit her right on the side of the head. The sudden impact sent Nyssa back a few feet into the air and within seconds, she was lying on the ground while holding her head

"Nyssa!" Sara shouted as she ran over to her

Elena looked over at Nazaria from the side before running in the same direction as Sara had.

"Nyssa! Nys, can you hear me?!" Sara asked while kneeling at her side

"Sara….!" Nyssa groaned "Just stop talking…"

"I'm sorry but I'm kind of worried about my friend" Sara said "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Nyssa opened one eye and looked at the fingers Sara was supposedly holding up, but only saw a blur. She tried to say something but even when she moved her mouth, no words escaped.

"Should we go find Saskia?" Nazaria asked

"I'm not sure if she's even here" Elena replied

"Do you think Zayn could help?"

Nyssa shifted her hand slightly and looked up at the three people that were talking with each other a few feet above. Their voices had just become one big fuzzy ring and to be completely honest, Nyssa didn't care what they were saying so she started to sit up

"Woah, Nys, what are you doing?" Sara asked as she put a hand on the brunette's shoulder

"I-I'm fine. I just….have to go-"

"No, you're not going anywhere" Sara started "If anything, we should make you stay lying down"

"That wouldn't help" Nyssa said as she pushed out of Sara's grasp and stood up "I have to go. This wasn't the only thing I had to get done today"

"I can do those things. You should go home and rest" Elena said "Because we all know you need that"

"You have enough you have to worry about. I've got it" Nyssa muttered, but then turned back around to face Sara "See you back in the city tomorrow?"

"Y-Yeah….?"

Nyssa turned back around and started walking towards one of the hallways that branched off from the entrance hall.

"I thought you said you'd knock her out!" Elena shouted, but in a whisper once Nyssa was out of the room

"That was the plan, but she may have partially blocked it. If it had hit her directly, then she would be unconscious" Nazaria explained

"Wait, you were trying to knock her out?!" Sara questioned

"It was for her own good" Elena started "She hasn't slept in four days and she would end up hurting herself if we didn't step in"

"And you didn't even think twice when you decided that the best course of action was to hurt her?!" Sara snapped "Honestly, who's idea was it? Who was that stupid?!"

"Ummm…." Elena started "It was my idea but Oliver's the one who agreed to it…."

"So Oliver's going around telling assassins to knock out their leader because they haven't got any sleep?" Sara asked in a rather annoyed tone "I know she's stubborn but wow….just wow"

Elena and Nazaria both watched as Sara furiously walked in the same direction Nyssa had after picking her bo staff up from the ground. Nazaria looked towards Elena once more before breaking off in another direction to attend to her own matters. Once both of them were gone, Elena pulled out her phone, dialed a number, and waited for someone to pick up

 _"_ _Elena? What's going on? Did you do it?"_ Oliver asked when he picked up

"There was a complication and…." Elena started as she swallowed a small lump in her throat "We made it worse…."

-(=+=)-

Nyssa walked through the hallway on an upper level of the main hall. It was all a desperate attempt to get away but actually walking to her room was harder than she imagined. When she came to her room, Nyssa stumbled around the corner closed the door behind her. Once she was safely inside, Nyssa walked over to her bookshelf, where a vial of eternal water was kept. She picked it up and looked at the contents. There definitely wasn't enough to heal an internal head injury, but even if there was, it wouldn't be any good using it, as the water left the user fatigued depending on how much they used.

Nyssa put the vial back in its place on the shelf and walked over to the small table that was set up with a bowl full of water and a small towel. She did her best to soak the towel before bringing it to the left side of her head where she had been hit. While she held the towel in place, Nyssa used her free hand to grab her phone from her pocket in hopes of calling Oliver, but when she got to the keypad, all the numbers blurred together in unrecognizable patterns. A small groan escaped her lips as she set her phone down just in pure annoyance

"Nys?" A voice asked from outside the door "You in here?"

"Yeah…." Nyssa answered

Nyssa heard the door open up and someone walk inside, but didn't bother turning around to see who it was, especially when she saw some very familiar black boots from her peripheral vision

"Are you okay?" Sara asked as she came to Nyssa's left side

"I'll be fine"

"Even so" Sara started "Nyssa you have to stop this"

"Stop what?"

"Overworking yourself like this"

"I'm not overworking, I'm getting things done"

"By killing yourself in the process" Sara started "Look. I lead a team too, but we all know that it's important to take breaks every once in a while so we can be even more productive, but when's the last time you took an actual break from working?"

"Um…."

"Two months ago!" Sara said "Elena told me that for the past two months, you've come here every single day for some period of time but even when you went home, you're still working!"

"You try running a growing league with over a thousand assassins when you're given the task in a span of two minutes"

"And for that, you have my understanding but this is stupid! Oliver's the damn mayor and he gets more time off than you when he's got a city of 500,000 people to look after! But really, why are you doing this all on your own"

"I haven't"

"Really?"

"Elena, she's my second in command and we often split the tasks" Nyssa started "But she's five months pregnant with twins and can't work for more than an hour without needing to take a break. I don't want her hurting herself so that's why I've been working on my own"

"And by preserving her safety, you're killing yourself"

"What do you want me to do? Order a pregnant woman to work from dusk till dawn?"

"No, I want you to prioritize your wellbeing over the league"

"And if I do that, people. Will. Die"

"Then find someone else to run the league!"

"I physically can't!" Nyssa snapped "I've thought about it on more than one occasion, but literally no one here would be able to run it successfully and even if they could, I would need to hand over the actual title and sword. I've been training with it for over ten months and even I still don't have the hang of it after using each individual sword! Imagine what that would do to someone who just picked it up! Even if someone where safely able to take over, then what would I do? This has been what I've been working towards my entire life and to give it up just for a few inconveniences would be stupid!"

"Nyssa…."

"I have to go. You're welcome to stay here just….please don't get in my way"

Sara watched from the side as Nyssa put down the small towel and started walking towards the door, almost as if she didn't have any regret. As she walked, Sara continued to watch her feet and could have sworn she saw Nyssa trip up slightly after she walked out of the door. Obviously there was room for change

-(=+=)-

As the flames disappeared from around her feet, Nyssa stumbled to the side and ended up having to use the wall of the basement to support herself. She looked around at the basement with a pure expression of gratitude, especially since the day was over, but the work still needed to be done. Despite being at Finiks Jurf for the past thirteen hours, only two things reached near completion and they weren't even the most important things.

After getting changed out of her typical garb, Nyssa picked up her phone and saw that a text had come through from Oliver about an hour ago

 _'_ _Little office emergency and I have to stay later. I'm really sorry! Should be home before 10'_ Was what the text read

Nyssa just texted back an 'Okay' before grabbing the things she needed from the table and walking upstairs. It was already seven o'clock and dark outside, so it was a bit strange to see that the house was empty. She knew that William was at Tom's house and would probably be home within the next hour, since that was usually the time he agreed to come home.

Once she was upstairs, Nyssa took a seat on the couch and unfolded one of the maps that had been kept in one of the thick notebooks. On a separate sheet of paper, a bunch of coordinates were listed for the new points in the expansion, but half of them still needed to be plotted. Since it wasn't exactly a quick task to complete, Nyssa put her head down and got to work

About an hour after she had got home, Nyssa perked her head up when she heard the front door unlocking. William stepped into the front door with Caspian on his leash, but once the door was closed, William unhooked the leash, allowing Caspian to have free roam of the house

"Um, William?" Nyssa asked "Why is Caspian off leash?"

"Oh yeah" William replied "I talked to Jasper today and explained the situation and he said it's all anxiety. Cas doesn't like new places and gets super anxious when he can't explore and deem if the place is safe or not. He said that if we just keep an eye on him while he explores a bit, it should fix the problem"

"Okay then"

"Tom and his family let me stay for dinner at their house so do you think I could go upstairs and play videogames for a bit?"

"Yeah, go ahead"

"Great, thanks!"

When William walked out of the room, Nyssa looked back down at her own 'little' project and realized just how much she hadn't got done. She knew for a fact that if she kept this pace up, she'd have to go back to Finiks Jurf tomorrow and probably stay later to get everything done, which also meant skipping Thanksgiving.

As she continued to work, Nyssa could feel herself nodding off but every time she felt her eyes get heavier, she would immediately snap back and try to keep herself awake

'Don't do it, don't do it' She repeated in her head over and over again

Eventually, Nyssa rested her arm on the arm of the couch to try and get a bit more support as she continued to work, but only found it helped for a few minutes before she started nodding off again. There was absolutely so way she was going to win this fight

-(=+=)-

Oliver walked up to the front door of the house with his bag in hand, along with the keys to the car. The sun had set hours ago and the lights near the front door were turned on, telling him that at least William was home. After unlocking the door and stepping inside, Oliver quickly took off his shoes, which had been pinching his feet all day, and started walking towards the kitchen. When he was about to cut through the living room, a small smile crept up his face when he saw Nyssa lying on the couch asleep, but what really made him smile was the fact that Caspian was on the couch too, using the side of her hip as a head rest.

As Oliver approached, Caspian opened his eyes and almost seemed to growl at him like he was protecting Nyssa, or like he knew he did something last night and wanted to make up for it.

"Cas, c'mon down" Oliver whispered with a small hand motion

Caspian looked at Oliver for a moment, like he was examining his conscience, but then jumped down from the couch. Oliver gently took the pencil from Nyssa's hand and set it on the coffee table along with the notebook she had been writing in. From just looking at the writing, he could tell that she had been having a really hard time staying awake

With those other things moved out of the way, Oliver stepped closer to the couch and lifted Nyssa up into his arms bridal style. He could hear her breath hitch slightly, but was thankful that she didn't wake up. As he carried her up the stairs and into their room, Oliver could hear Caspian following close behind but didn't do anything to stop him.

As he moved a lighter blanket over her shoulders once she was lying on the bed, Oliver glanced to his side and saw Caspian patiently sitting off to the side. When he realized he was being acknowledged, Caspian stepped up towards Oliver and made himself comfortable on the floor at Nyssa's side of the bed. Oliver just smiled slightly when he saw the dog wasn't making any attempt to jump up on the bed, so he didn't bother him any further. Instead, Oliver leaned down and kissed Nyssa's forehead before walking out of the room.

When he stepped into the hallway after closing the door, Oliver could hear the faint sounds of a video game coming from William's room, so he walked towards the door and peered inside

"Nate, don't you dare!" William said with a small laugh to the person who was on the other end of the skype call "Wait, hold on a sec"

Oliver stood in the doorway while William took off the small headset he was wearing and paused his game, giving his father his full attention

"Hi Dad"

"Hey buddy" Oliver greeted "Listen, I need to ask a small favor for tonight"

"Okay"

"Can you please turn all that off? Just for tonight. Mom hasn't got much sleep lately and she's finally fallen asleep. I don't want to wake her up"

"Yeah, no problem. I'll shut it off" William started "Oh, did you hear about Caspian?"

"No, I don't believe so"

"I called Jasper earlier this morning and told him what happened last night. He said that it's normal when Cas is in a new place and if you just let him explore a little bit, he'll feel more comfortable and his anxiety will go away. That's why he was off leash and not in his pen when you got home"

"Okay, that makes sense" Oliver started "But is it going to stay this way for tomorrow? Because there are going to be about nine other people here"

"Yeah, I'll make sure Cas behaves. By the way, have you seen Cas?"

"Yeah, he's actually sleeping on the floor in our room"

"Aw, that's cute" William said with a faint smile

"Anyway, it was supposed to be Mom's night doing city patrol but since she's asleep, I'm going to take her place. Can you please stay here and make sure nothing happens?"

"Sure! And if there is a threat, I can grab my axe and teach some people a lesson!"

"I'd rather have you use a gun if that did happen. You still need to work with the axe"

"And once I master that, I can go on the field, right?"

"When you're eighteen"

"I thought it was sixteen"

"I may have changed my mind"

"That's no fair! You said!"

"I'd rather have my son mad at me rather than dead" Oliver started "Besides, I think you'll get out there for sure, but I want you to be ready for anything. That level of-"

"Badass-ery" William chuckled

"Sure, that level of _badassery_ can't be achieved in a couple months. It takes years"

"Fine, but I'll start with protecting a house"

"Which is a good place to start. I'll be back in a few hours. If you need anything, just call, alright?"

"Okay, see you in a bit"

-(=+=)-

Nyssa woke up to the sunlight pouring in through the large windows of the bedroom. On instinct, she brought her hand up to her eyes to try and block the sunlight while her eyes adjusted. At first glance, she didn't know where she was, but quickly realized that she was in her and Oliver's room. As she started to sit up, she caught sight of Caspian, who was still curled up on the floor, but he was definitely awake.

Caspian heard Nyssa's movements and lifted his head from the ground. Nyssa wasn't looking at him as she sung her legs off the bed and towards the floor, but Caspian was sure to avoid getting stepped on. While she was standing at the dresser, trying to comb through the small knots in her hair, Caspian walked over and sat on the floor next to Nyssa's legs. The jingle of the two tags on his collar caught Nyssa's attention and when she looked down at him, he looked up at her and wagged his tail

"Hey Cas" Nyssa greeted as she get him a scratch on the head, but Caspian leaned into it, telling her to keep going

Nyssa complied for a bit longer before she stood back up straight and walked into the bathroom. When she shut the door, Caspian patiently waited outside of it. After about fifteen minutes of being in there, the water from the shower shut off and Nyssa walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Caspian remained where he had been waited until Nyssa was dressed and pulling her hair in a low bun

When she opened the door to the bedroom, Caspian followed her out and down the stairs. As she cut through the living room to get to the kitchen, Nyssa saw Oliver working on something at the counter, but he picked his head up as she approached and smiled

"You're awake" Oliver greeted "And you look a lot better"

"Thanks. How long was I out?" Nyssa asked as she took a seat at the counter

"I think about eleven hours, and Caspian was with you the whole time"

"Shoot, I didn't mean to fall asleep that long….or fall asleep at all" Nyssa said as she brushed a small piece of hair out of her face

"How's your head?"

"Lingering headache, but I'm fine"

"Yeah….sorry about that. It was…..kind of my fault…." Oliver said cautiously

"What do you mean? It was just a sparring accident"

"Not exactly" Oliver started "Yesterday, right before you left, I called Elena and told her what was going on. I told her I was worried you were going to hurt yourself so she proposed this crazy plan to have Nazaria 'accidentally' knock you out during sparring so you would be forced to actually get some rest. I thought it was going to work but I was still worried so when I got a call from Elena yesterday afternoon saying that you blocked the hit just barely and it wasn't enough to knock you down, I immediately regretted telling her to go through with that. I'm really sorry, I just didn't want to see you hurt yourself and I don't even know what I was thinking when I agreed to that plan"

"So you, Elena and Nazaria plotted to knock me out. Was Sara involved?"

"Sara?"

"Elena didn't tell you?"

"No….?"

"Sara and the rest of the legends are back and visiting their families for thanksgiving. She was going to come here and visit Quentin for a miniature thanksgiving meal or something like that"

"Oh, well I invited Quentin over here yesterday. I was going to tell you but when I came home, I found you asleep on the couch"

"So would you like me to invite Sara as well?"

"Well what kind of people would we be to not invite her?" Oliver asked

"Okay then. I'll tell her when I go to Finiks Jurf. Oh Hayden, Zayn, and Elena are all going to be hunting me down. I'm so far behind and I've only got about five hours to get two days of work done. This is going to be fun" Nyssa said in a rather annoyed tone as she got up from the stool

"Hold on a second Nys" Oliver said as he put his hand on her shoulder "You're not going anywhere. Not today"

"I need to get these things done, beloved. They can't be held off any longer" Nyssa said as she turned back around

"I know, which is why Elena, Andrew and I all did it for you"

"What do you mean?"

Oliver just smiled as he grabbed his phone off the counter and walked back over while scrolling through a list of recorded messages. He finally found the one he was looking for and hit the replay button

 _"_ _Hey Nyssa, its Lena. Look, Oliver and I wanted to apologize for our stupid stunt yesterday and try to do something to fix it. I was able to get Andrew and Oliver's help with a list of things you had to have completed by the end of today and we were able to get it all done, which means you have the day off today! You deserve it so don't try and weasel your way out of this. Everything's fine here and you have nothing to worry about. Hopefully you'll take this opportunity to spend some time off with Oliver and William instead of worrying about us here. We'll all be happy to see you back Friday after getting some sleep! Happy Thanksgiving!"_

"You guys….what?" Nyssa asked as Oliver put his phone back in his pocket

Oliver just smiled as he walked into the dining room and picked up Nyssa's notebook that she had been writing in the previous night. He flipped a few pages until he reached the page where she had been writing down a bunch of coordinates and had different points drawn out on a map, but now it was completed.

"Elena told me what needed to be done and it was rather easy to figure out from there" Oliver said "And I already got them off to Hayden so he's doing his part right now. Andrew and Zayn split the task of final run throughs with the new commanders, then got them dispatched. Elena focused on the final edits to the treaty between the league and the order. And finally, Zayn and Abigail oversaw all the experiments having to do with the pits"

"You guys actually….got it all done?" Nyssa asked "You did this for me?"

"Of course. I think it was going unspoken of how much you needed a break which is why we all got together to do this. Besides, you wouldn't want to be at the cliff and miss seeing Dakota, would you?"

"No, I wouldn't" Nyssa said while smile broke across her face "Thank you, thank you so much!"

"No need to thank me for anything" Oliver said as he wrapped his arms around her "I just want you to be happy"

"Well you certainly haven't failed at that" Nyssa said before pulling away "But if I'm not going to Finiks Jurf, then I need to call Sara and let her know of the change of plans, and apologize for how stupid I was being yesterday"

"Okay, I'm going to start prepping the turkey for cooking" Oliver said "Oh, and you're helping me with all of this"

"I wouldn't miss it"

-(=+=)-

"Hey Nys, I need you to try this" Oliver said as he dished up a small spoonful of mashed potatoes

"Try what-ahh, that" Nyssa said as she took the spoon from Oliver and put it in her mouth "Salt. You definitely need more salt"

"Really?"

"Try it"

"Shoot, now I taste it" Oliver said after swallowing his own bite "You're right. It's seriously lacking in salt"

"I'm getting good at this" Nyssa said with a small laugh

"Yes, definitely better" Oliver replied "That pasta dish you made last week was amazing"

"Thanks, I'll be sure to take note of that and maybe-" Nyssa started, but was stopped when there was a knock on the door "I've got a pretty good idea of who that is"

Nyssa set down the towel she had used to dry her hands and walked towards the front door. When she opened it up, a smile broke across her face at the sight of the dark brunette man standing outside

"Hey Sis" Dakota greeted "Am I early?"

"Just a bit, but come on in" Nyssa said as she stepped aside

"This place is nicer than I remember" Dakota said "Wait, what time was I supposed to be here?"

"Around three, but having the extra help for the next four hours will be very helpful" Nyssa smirked

"Hey Dakota!" Oliver greeted

"Afternoon Oliver. I see you two have been hard at work. Where's William? Shouldn't he be helping out too?" Dakota asked

"Nah, he's outside in the backyard playing with Caspian"

"Caspian?"

"His friend's dog that he's watching for the break" Oliver replied

"Ah, dog sitting" Dakota started "So what can I do to help?"

"Well we need to get started on the desserts and some other side dishes like the rolls-"

"Rolls? I'm great at making those. Want me to make some?" Dakota offered

"You know how to make rolls?" Nyssa questioned

"Oh yeah, from scratch. My caregiver taught me when I was eight. It's been something I've held onto for the past twenty five years or so"

"Go for it! We were just going to heat up some rolls we brought in bulk but I'm sure everyone would appreciate hand made much better" Oliver said

"Awesome! How many people are coming?" Dakota asked

"We need rolls for thirteen people total" Oliver answered

"Okay, three dozen it is!"

"Well this is certainly going to be a classy dinner" Nyssa smirked as she stalked up to Oliver's side "Can't wait to see how this all turns out, especially with your 'secret guests'"

"It's going to be fun, I can guarantee that"

-(=+=)-

"Okay, are we missing anything?" Oliver asked "We have all the sides and desserts made and the turkey's still cooking but I think we're missing something….."

"How about setting the table beloved?" Nyssa asked "Even Dakota remembered and this is his first thanksgiving"

"I can't believe you Oliver. I thought my brother-in-law would know better" Dakota teased

"I've been very occupied with the turkey and-" Oliver started, but didn't get to finish when there was a knock on the door

"I'll get it" Nyssa said as she started walking towards the door

When she opened it, a smile broke across Nyssa's face at the sight of the blonde waiting on the steps.

"Sara" Nyssa smiled "You came"

"Course I came" Sara laughed "I couldn't miss this, or seeing you after that really well-spoken apology. Wish I was recording it"

"Well come on in" Nyssa said with a small laugh as she stepped aside "Oliver, Dakota and I are working on the final preparations for the dinner since everyone should be arriving within the next half hour or so"

"And are we still doing that surprise thing with my dad?"

"If you'd like to, I can do something like that" Nyssa replied "But you'll need to hide until he gets here if you want to surprise everyone else"

"No problem! You've got a basement, right?"

"Yes we do"

"Great, that's my place. Does that-" Sara said, but was interrupted by the door

"Go!" Nyssa laughed as she pushed Sara towards the kitchen

"I'm going!" Sara laughed as she ran around the corner and into the kitchen "Hey Ollie!"

"Hey Sara" Oliver laughed as she sped down into the basement

"Who's that?" Dakota asked

"Nyssa's old ex and our close friend"

"Ahh, makes sense" Dakota chuckled

"Hey hos!" Rene said as he, Curtis, Zoe and Nyssa all walked into the kitchen "Dang, you guys went all out!"

"We wanted it to be nice" Oliver said

"Mr. Queen, is William here?" Zoe asked

"Yeah, he's outside in the backyard with Caspian. If you walk out onto the deck and take the stairs to the right, it will lead you straight down to where he is" Oliver replied

"Great, thanks!" Zoe said as she sped off

"So who else are we expecting. This seems like a full house to me" Curtis said

"We're still waiting on Thea, Quentin, and two other people" Oliver replied

"Ah, well do you guys need any help with the table?" Rene asked

"I could use help with the silverware and napkin folding. I don't know how to do this!" Dakota said

"Oh, I know this!" Curtis said as he walked over "I used to be a waiter at a very high end restaurant in my later years of high school. They taught you a ton of stuff about everything a normal person wouldn't need to know and I forgot most of it but this stuck because my sister would make fun of it for-I'll stop rambling! Let me show you how to fold a napkin _properly_ "

While Curtis, Rene, and Dakota all finished setting the table and Sara hid in the basement, Oliver and Nyssa both finished the final work on the food, which was all being prepared in a fashion that would impress some of the best chefs on Food Network. Around five minutes passed before there was another knock on the door. This time, Oliver went to answer it

"Speedy!" Oliver said when he opened the door "You're late!"

"Sorry, I couldn't find my shoe" Thea laughed as she walked inside "And I wasn't about to drive barefoot"

"The struggles" Oliver chuckled "Right now we're all just lingering. We're still waiting on three people"

"Sounds good" Thea said before they turned the corner "Woah! Look at this place! It's like a food wonderland!"

"We've been working since nine" Nyssa said as she walked around the island of the kitchen "And I actually learned how to make a pie"

"We'll I'll be the judge of how good it is" Thea said, then turned towards Oliver "By the way, I saw Quentin behind me a few cars when I was driving here. He should be here soon, but he may have been caught in traffic"

"This is why you shouldn't have moved all the way out here!" Curtis laughed

"But the views are stunning" Nyssa said "We get to see the city scape from our deck and also have the luxury of a huge backyard"

"That I'm building a pool in" Oliver added

"Since when did you decide to build a pool?" Dakota asked

"Since I discovered just how much extra money we had from not paying rent every month. Just three months of rent would pay off a pool, but we're also putting a fence up around the yard and maybe some additional pathways" Oliver replied

"Dang, you guys are going all out" Rene said "Guess who's house is going to be used to hold parties when you two are out of town"

"William's a good kid. I doubt he'd throw a party" Oliver chuckled

"And even if he did, there are some certain privileges that we would be able to take away" Nyssa added

"Oh yeah, those would really get to him" Oliver chuckled

Before anyone else could answer, another knock came from the front door. Oliver broke away from the group and when he opened the door, he saw Quentin standing on the doorsteps

"Hey Oliver" Quentin greeted "Hope I'm not late"

"Don't worry, you're just fine" Oliver replied

Nyssa heard Quentin's voice from the kitchen and quickly walked into the dining room. She walked past the basement door and very subtly, she tapped the bottom edge with her foot three times, then walked over to help Dakota with the final glass placements.

"So are we going to watch the game tonight?" Rene asked "I'm a man of hockey, but I've heard that the football game is going to be good tonight"

"Who's playing?" Quentin asked

"Seattle Seahawks and the 49ers" Curtis said "I'm actually looking forward to it too"

"Well how about we get it started" Oliver said "Rene, the remotes in the first drawer"

"But before we do" Nyssa started, grabbing everyone's attention "We have a little surprise for you Quentin"

"Oh?"

"Surprise!" Sara said as she jumped out from around the corner

"Sara!" Quentin remarked happily as he walked over "I didn't think you'd come here!"

"We all worked really hard the past week so we could spend thanksgiving with our families" Sara replied "I was actually in Finiks Jurf bothering Nyssa yesterday"

"Are you going to be sticking around longer than tonight?" Quentin asked

"Oh yeah! I've got the rest of the week!" Sara smiled "Now you guys are wasting time! There's a game on so why isn't the TV turned on yet?"

"We're going, we're going blondie" Rene laughed as he started flipping through the channels

While everyone else took the spots on the couches, Oliver and Nyssa both brought over stools from the counter and sat on those while watching the game. It wasn't even two minutes in when the whole group had divided into teams and started placing bets on who would win

"Okay! We've got Curtis, Thea, and Quentin on the Seahawks leaving Me and Sara on the 49ers. Dakota, where do you stand?" Rene asked

"I don't know! I've never seen this game before! I'm from Tajikistan for crying out loud!" Dakota laughed

"Pick the 49ers with Nyssa and I!" Oliver advised "There's money on the table so we have to play well!"

"Okay, I'm going with the 49ers!" Dakota announced

"Final bets are in! Whichever team wins splits the pot!" Rene announced

As the rest of the group went on to cheering on their teams, Oliver wrapped his arm around Nyssa's shoulders, bring her closer to his side. They weren't able to stay like that for long before Oliver's phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Hey Nys" Oliver whispered as he showed her the text "Play along?"

"Of course. Think they'll be here-" Nyssa smirked, but didn't finish before there was a knock on the door

"Hey Speedy" Oliver said, catching Thea's attention "Can you get the door?"

"Uh, sure" Thea said as she got up

Thea walked towards the front door and didn't look outside before she opened it. When she did open it, a huge smile broke across her face

"Roy!" Thea exclaimed happily as she launched herself into the man's arms

"Hey Thea" Roy said as he pulled her closer into his arms "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too" Thea said before she pulled away "What are you doing here? Wait, did Ollie put you up to this?"

"He invited me here to surprise you if that's what you mean" Roy smiled "Is that alright?"

"More than alright! It's like Christmas!" Thea laughed "Want to come in?"

"I'd love to"

"Roy" Quentin said "Good to see you're back in town"

"Good to be back sir" Roy replied, then looked over towards Oliver who had a smug smirk on his face "Thank you for inviting me here Oliver"

"Not a problem at all" Oliver said "Besides, you make Thea happy and I think she could use this"

"We're watching the game while placing bets" Thea explained "Care to get in on it?"

"Oh you know I would" Roy chuckled as he sat down on the couch with Thea

"One down, two to go" Nyssa whispered "When's the second one going to be here?"

"Give it about ten minutes. He had to travel quite a way" Oliver whispered back

"I bet"

While the minutes passed by and the groups continued to cheer for their teams, the sliding glass door that led to the deck opened up. Both William and Zoe walked inside, laughing, as Caspian followed them inside.

"Woah, lots of people in here" William said

"No kidding" Zoe replied

"Hey, you guys got a dog?" Roy asked

"Nah. I'm just watching him while my friend's out of town" William replied "His name's Caspian, but we call him Cas"

"Hey Cas, come here" Roy said in a playful voice

Caspian immediately walked over towards Roy and was greeted by a bunch of scratches around the head and neck. It wasn't even a minute later when Caspian was on his back asking for a belly rub

"Wow, that dog loves you" Thea laughed as Roy continued to mess with Caspian's feet

"I hope so! He's pretty cute" Roy replied "And he seems pretty well behaved"

"Yes, _very_ well behaved" Nyssa smirked

Another few minutes passed before another knock came from the front door. This time, Oliver got up while everyone else continued to watch the game. When he came to the door, Oliver pushed down on the handle and pulled it open. There standing on the steps was a man in his middle ages with dark gray hair, a strong build, and an eye patch that covered his right eye

"Hey kid"

"Slade"


	39. Happy Thanksgiving

"Hey kid"

"Slade" Oliver greeted with a growing smile "C'mon in"

"I was surprised to get your call" Slade said "I didn't think you'd want to see my face again"

"Well that's where you're wrong" Oliver started "We've had our conflicts, but you're like family. The least I could do was invite you over for a meal"

"Thanks kid, it actually means a lot"

"Why don't you come join us? We're just watching the football game and then we'll be eating in a few minutes"

"Sounds good, the idea of a calm night"

"Definitely" Oliver said as they walked towards the living room

As soon as Oliver and Slade stepped into view from foyer area, the cheerfulness of the room faded in an instant when the other guests say who was standing there. The only ones that didn't seems fazed were Nyssa, who already knew, and Dakota who just sat there confused

"Oliver" Sara spoke up "You do realize that Slade Wilson is right behind you, right?"

"Yes, I do, because I invited him" Oliver started "I figured that after all that island….stuff, that it was clear he wasn't an enemy, and more like family"

"If I could take back what I did to this city, I would" Slade said "Just looking for a new beginning"

"I'm sorry, but who are you exactly?"

"Oh, right" Nyssa said "Dakota, that's Slade Wilson. He was stranded on the island with Oliver for two years and about four years ago, there was a…larger quarrel between them. He helped us when Adrian took the team to Lian Yu"

"Oh, I see"

"And who's that?" Slade asked

"That is Dakota Raatko, Nyssa's brother….twin brother" Oliver said

"You have a brother?"

"Apparently" Nyssa said "He crashed my wedding"

"Wedding?"

"Nyssa's my wife" Oliver said in a quieter tone

"Wait, really?" Slade asked before lowering his voice "I always thought you'd go for Felicity"

"That was a toxic relationship" Oliver whispered back "I needed to get out of it sooner and now that it's all behind me, I'm actually happy. She's not, however"

"I believe asking further questions would be prying too far, but it sounds like a good change" Slade said

"It was" Oliver smiled "How about instead of standing around, talking about the things that are happening, why don't we talk about it over dinner"

"Sounds good" Slade started "I've never celebrated this before. This 'Thanksgiving'"

"It's really a wonderful holiday" Oliver said "Nothing chaotic to worry about, like Christmas. Just a nice day to spend with family and friends"

'You've certainly done a good job of maintaining that aspect, considering how many people are in this home"

"We like to invite friends and family on our team that don't have a family to go to during thanksgiving. We did it last year and it was really nice so that's why this year's group is a bit bigger"

"Well I'm happy to be part of this" Slade started "This, by no means, is my area of expertise but maybe there's something I can do to help out"

"Sure there is" Oliver started "Can you cut a turkey?"

-(=+=)-

"So how has Hub City been since July?" Thea asked

"Interesting" Roy replied "I've got a pretty nice apartment, a stable job at a small restaurant as a assistant manager, and I haven't had any financial problems yet"

"Well that's good"

"What happened to that waiter girl you were telling me about at the rehearsal dinner?" Oliver asked

"Oh yes, her" Roy said with a small laugh "So I asked her out, we went on a date, a few actually, and after a few we just decided that we weren't right for each other. We were still friends, but she left town about a month ago. Haven't heard from her since. What about the rest of you? What's been going on here in Star?"

"Too much" Oliver chuckled "Way too much to tell about in one sitting"

"Really? Try me" Roy said

"Well first there's that one" Oliver laughed while pointing to Dakota, who was just about to put a bite of turkey in his mouth "Then we went to Central City and Earth-2, where we met our doppelgangers and tangled with some siren metas who screwed with Nyssa a bit"

"Yeah, just a bit" Nyssa confirmed subtly

"We came back to this Earth but the sirens followed us over so that was real interesting to take care of. Then skip ahead a bit and a virus came over the entire city from one of Dakota's rogue league members" Oliver finished "So yeah, a lot has happened in the last four months"

"I'll say" Roy said "So we've got the Star City group covered, what about you Sara? What's going on with you if you're not in Starling?"

"Ooh" Sara grinned "I've been on a time ship screwing up time and then fixing it with a team that's half made up of criminals"

"What…? Is this a joke?!"

"Nope, she's got a time ship, and she's the captain" Nyssa replied "Quite impressive"

"You too with that league of a thousand at your command" Sara smirked before nudging Nyssa's arm

"Okay, I knew about Nyssa's league but a time ship?!" Roy questioned

"If you makes you feel any better Harper" Slade spoke up "I didn't know about either"

"Okay, but you've been gone for almost two years and I was here in July for the wedding" Roy started "Although I said that the impossible is what I expect nowadays, this is still REALLY unexpected"

"I didn't believe it at first either, but Laurel helped me see the truth" Sara started "Enough about me. What's going on with you Slade? What's going on down in Australia?"

"I'm doing my best to settle down" Slade started "Maybe rejoin ASIS, but that's proving to be quite difficult with my record in America looming over my head…that and other things"

"Anything we can do to help?" Oliver asked

"Unless you can completely erase my actions in Star City four years ago from history and everyone's memories, I don't think there is" Slade replied

"Well-um-I can actually-"

"Don't even think about it Sara" Nyssa whispered "We've all experienced how history can collapse in on itself"

"Don't remind me of that!" Sara scolded "It was an accident I swear!"

"Wait, what happened?" Roy asked

"Oh great Nyssa! Now we have to tell them!" Sara said with a small eye roll "I'm so going to get kicked off the team for this"

"I'll let them decide" Nyssa smirked before turning away from Sara and towards the others at the table "So around late June, early July, I was minding my own business in Finiks Jurf when the sky literally tore open and all hell broke loose. A herd of damn woolly mammoths just fell from the sky and trampled our runway, grounding all our flights for two days while repairs took place"

"I never knew about this" Oliver said

"I made her swear not to tell anyone" Sara said "Oh that day killed me because I let that heard slip out of my grasp"

"Do the other legends know about this?" Rene asked

"Yeah, they were on the ship when it happened" Sara said before turning back towards Nyssa "By the way, I'm really sorry we couldn't stick around to help. Mallus and Damien were catching up to us and we needed to get moving"

"Don't worry completely" Nyssa replied

"How exactly do you lose track of a woolly mammoth heard?!" Dakota laughed

"Okay, Mallus was a time demon who could basically transport people or other things from one time period and put them in another so a woolly mammoth heard isn't out of the ordinary" Sara explain while trying not to laugh at the memories "Considering everything we've seen….and done"

"Oh the stories I've heard have kept me scratching my head for days" Quentin laughed "But they're entertaining nonetheless"

"I bet, I mean, what's time travel like in general?" Curtis asked "Like are you yourself changing every time you go to another time period or do you accidentally learn things you're not supposed to that requires you to erase your memory in order to avoid impacting life as we know it?!"

"Woah, too many questions too quickly" Sara chuckled

"How about this one!" Zoe spoke up "Do you get to interact with people from the certain time periods or do you have to stand by and hope not to get caught?"

"Okay, I'll start from the beginning" Sara started "No, we don't change physically when we jump to a different time period. If we learn things…"

While Sara kept talking, Oliver had been focused on the roll he had on his plate until his phone started vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out and one glance at the screen told him exactly what was going on.

"Hey Nys?" Oliver asked, making her look up at him "It's Katara"

"Katara?" Nyssa asked "She never calls, unless something's-….yeah, go"

"Sorry about this guys" Oliver said as he got up from his seat

Oliver walked out of the dining room, through the kitchen, which still had food and several dishes lying out, and into his office before looking back down at his phone. He quickly picked up before the call went to voicemail and held it to his ear

"Katara?" Oliver asked "What's going on. You never call unless something's seriously wrong"

" _True, and I call you now"_ Katara said

"What's going on?"

" _Asher and I were having our own dinner when we got a tip from one of his military buddies, ever so suddenly. They were defending a military base just east of the city when a large gang came up. The gang destroyed the base and they're quickly making their way towards Star City, where they could cause as much or more panic than there is in a population uprising"_ Katara started " _I hate to ask this of you, but I do it on behalf of the city. Can you round up this gang and drive them out before something like the Undertaking happens again?"_

"We'll get on it immediately"

" _Good. I'll be on coms. Asher has already left for the base and he's going to get a small troop here to the city in order to keep the gang contained"_

"Got it. We'll get out there"

Oliver quickly hung up the phone and walked back into the dining room, where everyone at the table was smiling while Dakota was talking

"So I tell my lad that he can't back out because he's got his foot dangling over the pressure plate!"

"How did he think that was a good idea?!" Rene laughed "Not much planning went into that move at all!"

"I know, but he's still a good man to have on your team. Just a minor, yet rather hilarious, mess up" Dakota chuckled

"Hey, guys" Oliver said, getting everyone's attention rather quickly "Katara called. There's a large gang headed for the city and if they get through, they could end up causing a city wide panic and as much chaos as there was during the Undertaking. We need to go, now"

"Alright, how do you want to do this team leader?" Rene asked

"It's going to be a large gang, so we need all hands on deck, but we go in pairs" Oliver started "Nyssa, you and Dakota take the skyscraper rooftops in order to get an aerial view. Roy, Thea, you two take the city alleys. Slade, do you have your swords?"

"Of course I do" Slade replied "Never go anywhere without them these days"

"Great, you're with me" Oliver said "Sara, Rene, and Curtis, you three get to the bunker and stay there as backup in case something goes south"

"What about us?" William asked "What do we do?"

"You and Zoe go to the bunker with Quentin and stay there for protection" Oliver replied

"Should we get Lenora and Jacob?" Rene asked

"Let them know what's going on and if they can get to the bunker as part of back up, get them there immediately" Oliver instructed "Everyone clear on what we're doing?"

"Yup, got it" Sara replied

"Alright then, let's get moving before we have another problem on our hands"

-(=+=)-

" _So far, all clear up here"_ Nyssa reported from where she and Dakota stood on the roof of a skyscraper

" _City streets are clear"_ Thea said over her com

" _So far"_ Roy added

"Outer perimeter is clear as well!" Oliver added

"So kid" Slade said in a louder tone from the back of the motorcycle as they zipped through the streets of the Glades "This is what you do every night? Your team seems to have gotten bigger"

"It has!" Oliver called back "We have ten members, plus three occasional participants!"

"And where's your Felicity! She wouldn't have left the team yet there hasn't been any mention of her!"

"She's in prison!" Oliver started "Got caught up with a city threatening group in April! Nyssa put her behind bars at ARGUS!"

"I always knew that she'd do something, just didn't know what!" Slade chuckled "Always looked like she'd do something!"

"You're not wrong about that" Oliver muttered

" _Arrow"_ Nyssa said over the com system " _Signs of the gang are near the city's northeast freeway. Menae and I have taken positions above while Speedy and Arsenal are moving towards the other city entrances. You and Deathstroke should take up a position with them or on a level below us"_

"Got it Phoenix" Oliver replied

"Deathstroke. Phoenix? Been a while since I heard one of those, but how did she get the name Phoenix?" Slade asked as Oliver continued to weave through the streets on the motorcycle

"No doubt you'll see at some point tonight" Oliver smirked, even just by thinking about it

" _Hey team"_ Katara said over the coms " _Sterling and Zalam are out on the field. Speedy, Arsenal, they're heading your way"_

" _Got it!"_ Thea replied

" _Who are they?"_ Roy asked

" _Some of Nyssa's comrades, or really close friends if you please. They're younger than us though, but don't screw with them. They'll kill you on the spot!"_ Thea laughed from where she was perched just outside one of the freeway tunnels

" _Sounds like fun"_ Roy chuckled

" _Asher's got a report"_ Katara announced " _Gang's a quarter mile out. He's on air patrol"_

" _Any size estimate Commander?"_ Nyssa asked

" _Roughly a hundred fifty, two hundred is likely"_ Katara replied

"Commander?" Slade asked off the com

"We didn't want to call her Overwatch and she isn't too fond of codenames, so we just call her Commander from her time in the US Cyber Command" Oliver answered "We're getting close to a good stake out position. Get ready to move positions"

"Sure thing, Arrow"

-(=+=)-

"So sis" Dakota said before turning around to face Nyssa, who was looking down at a digital watch on her wrist which Katara had given her "How often are you doing this stuff in Finiks Jurf?"

"Almost every day" Nyssa replied "Why?"

"Things are getting boring in Isfara"

"How so?"

"Our allies and enemies aren't causing any problems so I just stay there and train more experienced recruits, which was the reason I was so eager to get out here"

"Oh really?" Nyssa questioned as she looked up at her brother, veil and hood on "You didn't come out here because you wanted to see your loving sister?"

"Well, that and the reason I pointed out"

"MmHmm" Nyssa hummed before looking over the edge of the skyscraper "Do you see that?"

"See what?"

"The movement up ahead, slightly to the west" Nyssa pointed out "Hold on a second…."

"It's them, I recognize the ragged formation"

"There's a formation to that chaos?"

"Actually, yeah"

"Formation or not, we need to get down there" Nyssa said as she stepped up on the ledge, making her two feet taller "Do you trust me?"

"I'm scared, but sure" Dakota said as he stepped up next to her "What are we doing"

"We're going to jump" Nyssa started before turning her com back on "Hey Commander, we have eyes on the gang. About half a mile from where we are currently, slightly to the west. We're heading to their location now in order to keep the fight out of the city"

" _We'll head there too"_ Thea added

" _Same here"_ Jacob said

" _We'll change directions"_ Oliver said

"So then" Nyssa started "Are you ready to jump?"

"Wouldn't we die?" Dakota asked

"I'd catch you"

"If you say so"

"On my count" Nyssa started before leaning further over "Three….two…one!"

Right on cue, the two assassins jumped from the edge of the building and started free falling. As soon as she felt the air across her face, Nyssa brought her hands in front of her and clapped them together. A quickly flurry of flames shot out from them and around her and Dakota, moving faster and faster as they fell closer to the ground. They were only about a hundred feet from the ground when Dakota closed his eyes from how bright the flames had gotten, but when he opened them, he discovered that he was on solid ground and just outside the city

"Teleportation" Dakota said

"It's how I get places quickly" Nyssa replied

"Fancy"

"Hey!" A voice shouted from the side, making Nyssa and Dakota both turn around "And we thought we'd be the first here"

"Unlikely Sterling" Nyssa smirked "See those dark figures ahead?"

"Can't miss them" Jacob said

"Take them out and we can all go home" Nyssa said

"Hmm, I dunno Ny-Phoenix. Playing Just Dance with the brothers isn't always preferred" Lenora said

"Well we were in the middle of dinner so we're going home after this" Dakota said

"Yeah, not you just yet" Nyssa added "But enough of this, we need to get with-"

"Look who we found on the way!" Oliver said as he walked up with Slade, Thea and Roy "We're all here?"

"Looks like it" Jacob said "So what's the plan Commander?"

" _Look up"_ Katara said

All eight vigilantes looked up towards the sky just in time to see a military plane shoot through the sky above them at a speed that was incredibly quick, but also deadly silent

" _That's Asher. I'm putting him through"_ Katara said before pausing for a few seconds " _Are you through?"_

" _Yeah, I'm through"_ A male voice replied " _Would this be the vigilante hotline?"_

"Sure" Oliver said over the com in his gruff voice "Asher, what do you want us to do?"

" _Keep them out of the city. They're approaching fast but we have a minute"_ Asher started " _Spread yourselves out. Six stop them from going into the city, two of you get into the hoard and stop them from the inside. Don't kill, but if it comes to that, then there won't be an consequences"_

" _I'll assign the two odd ones out"_ Katara said " _Phoenix, Arrow, you're inside the hoard. Everyone else pair up. Deathstroke, Menae, you're now partners. Now GO!"_

"Woah, no choice" Lenora noted before she and Jacob ran off towards one side of the hoard of gang members

While Thea and Roy ran towards the left side, Lenora and Jacob ran to the right, and Slade and Dakota stayed towards the center, Oliver and Nyssa both ran towards the hoard. As they got closer and closer, they could see just how massive the group was. Although there were almost two hundred gang members, they weren't all armed properly. Some had guns of sorts while others had more homemade weapons

" _Question"_ Lenora spoke up over the coms " _How the hell did a hoard of gang members get this far inland?!"_

" _They broke across the border by force after we tried to keep them out"_ Asher replied " _We've been chasing them all the way up here but their size has increased as they've moved north, up towards Seattle"_

" _Makes sense, so if we don't stop them now, it will only get worse"_ Thea said

" _Yeah, there's your motivation"_ Katara said casually

"Ever wonder when there's not going to be this banter of the coms?" Nyssa asked as she and Oliver ran ahead

"I just learn to expect it at this point" Oliver admitted

The two Queens came to a stop on top of a slight hill, where they had a perfect overview of the hoard of gang members. Even in the dark, Oliver and Nyssa could both tell that the majority of them were of Hispanic origin, which meant that they had traveled at least 600 miles to get to where they were now

"What's the plan?" Nyssa asked as she and Oliver knelt down to avoid being seen

"Create a smoke cover so we can slip into the hoard unseen, then we'll slow them down from inside" Oliver replied as he drew a few arrows from his quiver "You have explosives with you?"

"I can make due" Nyssa said as she also drew a few arrows "But they won't be as big as yours"

"Fair enough, just rapid fire on my mark" Oliver instructed as he pulled back the draw string with an arrow already nocked "Three….two….one!"

On Oliver's mark, both of them released a barrage of arrows right in front of the hoard. As soon as the arrowhead buried itself in the dirt, smoke was released from the capsules and proceeded to fill the air. Several shouts echoed through the smoke screen, but none could be translated at the moment, as it was all in Spanish. While the gang members were still confused, Nyssa and Oliver both jumped up and ran straight towards them with weapons at the ready. As soon as they ran into the smoke, both parted away from each other and started moving towards the center of the group. Through the smoke, both of them caught quick glimpses of the rest of the team approaching with their weapons at the ready. Within seconds, warlike sounds filled the air while the sound of military jets loomed above.

Oliver was immediately met by six gang members, all about his size or slightly larger, with several more hand made weapons. One of them tried to take a swing at him with a club like weapon, but he ducked underneath it, spun around him, and knocked the man out with his bow. Two more came straight towards him and tried to hit him at the same time, but Oliver saw it coming and side stepped out of the way before the weapons went through the area he had just been in. While they were still recovering from their attack, Oliver nocked two arrows and fired them straight into their chests before turning around to block another. Two other gang members came in to try and take him down, but after recovering from his own attack, Oliver threw a small smoke bomb on the ground, instantly blinding the gang members. While they were still trying to find him, Oliver moved through the cover quickly, shooting the members that he could before escaping as the smoke cleared

Nyssa spun in between several gang members, and ducked underneath several of their attempts to hit her, until she reached a break in the hoard. There was only a split second for a break before Nyssa had to run forward at another gang member. He was soon accompanied by three other gang members, who all ended up trying to attack Nyssa. With only her sword, she was able to avoid their attacks, but it wouldn't last for long. After one of them tried to get a headshot on her, Nyssa sprung out of the way and stomped the ground with her heel. Something like a small wave of fire shot out in a ring shape from where she stood and went in all directions. The men that Nyssa had been fighting weren't able to escape fast enough before they were hit with the wave and knocked out of the battle. With that opening, Nyssa ran further into the hoard

Slade and Dakota held the hoard off, side by side. A few of the men escaped the boundaries they had set up so Dakota broke off and tried to take them down, but with his spot now open, more and more started to break out in different directions. Slade saw this and knew that on his own, he couldn't hold them back as they had been doing before, so he broke off and hurried towards Dakota, who was swinging his twin scimitars around him, quickly pushing the men back but taking them down very slowly.

"Watch out!" Slade shouted

Dakota quickly looked up from where he was fighting and jumped out of the way just before Slade threw a small, metal ball on the ground. As soon as it made contact with the dirt, the whole thing exploded in a fiery burst that pushed the hoard back even further

"Woah!" Dakota said as he walked over "Pretty good weapon there. Those new?"

"Somewhat" Slade replied "We should split up. I'll help the two red archers and you go help those other assassins"

"Alright"

Oliver weaved in between the bodies of the gang members, taking whatever hits he could before he was swamped. More and more were approaching, so he picked up his pace until he reached something like a clearing made by the men. One of them took the opportunity to run straight towards him, but left his upper right side exposed, so Oliver swung his bow out and knocked the man on the side of the neck. The man's body fell forward, causing Oliver to jump back but when he landed, he felt someone else's back against his

"Beloved" Nyssa said from behind him "Nice to see you here"

"Nice to see you too" Oliver replied before firing an arrow at a man "Any idea how we can stop this?! The others are holding them off but they can't do it for much longer!"

"I have an idea" Nyssa started "But I need a pathway cleared and a boost"

"We can do that!" Oliver said before pulling out a few explosive arrows from his quiver "Will these do shot to my left?"

"That would be perfect!" Nyssa said after throwing a knife at one man "As soon as you fire, I'm going to run back towards you and i need you to try and boost me up into the air as high as you can!"

"What are you doing to do?!"

"Lightning!" Nyssa shouted

Oliver didn't ask anymore questions before rapidly firing arrows off to his left. Nyssa threw one more knife at an approaching gang member before breaking away from Oliver and running towards the area where the men had cleared away from. As she ran, several of them tried to take a hit at her but she effortlessly dodged them all, then started running back towards Oliver.

"Everybody get down!" Oliver shouted over the com

Oliver leaned down and folded his hands into something like a small step, so when Nyssa ran back towards him, she stepped up on his hand and he did his best to push her up into the air. For the two seconds that Nyssa was in the air, she kicked her leg out and instantly, a electric, purple ring shot out in all directions with the deafening sound of crashing thunder.

"Retiro! Retiro! (Retreat! Retreat!)" Several of the men shouted as the thunder continued to echo in the distance

"What the hell was that?!" Asher shouted over the coms "It shook our damn plane!"

Oliver ignored the chatter that was going on over the coms as he ran through the hoard of retreating men. As he ran, he caught sight of Nyssa running in the same direction about ten feet to his right. Soon, the two of them broke out of the hoard and found themselves with the rest of the group

"I think I'm deaf in both ears" Dakota said in a bit louder voice "Thanks sis"

"No problem" Nyssa breathed

"What was that exactly?" Slade asked

"Lightning ring" Nyssa said "It's a new trick I learned last week….on accident"

"So you're one of those metahumans" Slade concluded "How long have you…."

"Almost a year. It happened after the island"

"I see…."

" _Asher's disconnected. He and his copilot have eyes on the hoard and are calling in for more support from the base, which means you guys are in the clear"_ Katara said

"Great, so we can go home and finish dinner" Dakota started "It's not too late afterall"

"True" Lenora said "Jacob and I are heading back. Connor's going to start wondering where we went if we don't get back soon. Trent can only cover so long"

"Are you ever going to tell him?" Oliver asked

"Eventually when all of his marine stuff calms down, then yes" Jacob answered "I'll tell him what really happened….and what I really do at night"

"Yeah, not spending the entire night with me" Lenora said quietly with a small laugh

"Wait, what?!" Thea laughed "THAT'S what you told him!?"

"He needed and answer and that's the first thing that came out…." Jacob muttered "We have to go"

"Yeah, and don't lie to your brother!" Roy laughed

"That's the only thing I have lied about!" Jacob shouted back as he continued to walk away

"Suuuure" Roy smirked "So back to the house?"

"Yeah, let's get out of here" Oliver replied

-(=+=)-

"Sure wasn't the Thanksgiving night I planned out" Oliver said as he, Nyssa, Slade, Roy, Thea, Dakota, William, Zoe, Rene, Curtis, Quentin, and Sara all walked back into the house

"But it was entertaining" Rene said "While you guys were out there kicking cartel ass, the rest of us sat at that conference table and gambled"

"Hey Will, you still owe me six dinner rolls" Zoe smirked

"I didn't know how to gamble well! Can't I have an exception?" William asked

"Nope! You gambled knowing you would lose something so I want my payment"

"We only have four rolls left" William said after looking in the basket "And I don't think my uncle would be too happy with making another batch of rolls at ten o'clock at night"

"Fine, guess I'll have to think up another way for you to pay off your debt"

"You two could start by helping with the dishes and cleaning the kitchen" Nyssa suggested

"Better than paying off a debt!" William said as he ran towards the table and started grabbing some of the plates with Zoe

"So what's the plan for you two?" Nyssa asked Slade and Dakota

"I have to head back to Isfara early in the morning so I'm planning on staying at an order safe house" Dakota replied

"And you Slade?" Oliver asked "Sticking around any longer?"

"I didn't plan on staying here for long" Slade started "My flight back to Australia is taking off at eleven in the morning so I'll stay at a hotel tonight"

"I'm going back to my Dad's house and sticking around for a bit!" Sara called from the kitchen "Which means you still have to deal with my pest like behavior Nyssa!"

"Can't wait!" Nyssa called back before turning towards Oliver "You're heading to city hall tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, and you're going to Finiks Jurf?"

"MmHmm, got a lot of stuff that needs to get done"

"But remember to actually sleep"

"I'm not that irresponsible"

"Yeah, sure" Oliver laughed before giving her a playful nudge "But hey, you remember that last person I was telling you about?"

"Very clearly, yes"

"Well I talked to-"

"Caspian! Get back here!" William called before he and Zoe ran past Oliver and Nyssa

"Aww, you guys got a dog!" Sara said before walking away from Quentin and towards Caspian, who was playfully chasing William through the living room "Why did you guys get this little angel?"

"Angel?" Nyssa laughed

"I'm actually dog sitting him while my friend's out of town" William replied "His name's Caspian"

"Well he's adorable!" Sara said while scratching the collie's neck "If you guys want a break from him tomorrow, I'd be happy to take him off your hands!"

"No way!" Zoe said "You can join us but this is our dog this week!"

"Fair enough, I'll be by tomorrow morning" Sara answered

"Well that takes care of that" Oliver muttered "Anyway, I talked to Lyla and she liked what I had proposed, but said that she couldn't do it as it was a violation of security, so we came up with a compromise. How do you feel about going to ARGUS headquarters tonight?"

"I think that it's a nice thing for you to do and that we shouldn't try to avoid it, so I have no objections" Nyssa replied "Should I get the things?"

"Yeah, that would be great" Oliver smiled, then turned to Slade "Listen, I know you're not exactly a family type of guy-"

"You are very wrong about that" Slade interrupted "But go on"

"Okay then, would you be willing to stay here until Nyssa and I get back? I know I can trust the people here but I'd want someone here in case something happens"

"Sure, I'll stay, but don't take until sunrise"

"We'll be back in about two hours. Sound fair?"

"Fair"

-(=+=)-

It had been a total of almost seven months since Felicity had been put in ARGUS' on site, maximum security prison. By no means was it a luxury, but it was certainly better than where she could have been sent if ARGUS wasn't a private government agency. Twenty two hours in the cell made up of mostly glass walls and two hours outside, but being closely watched by guards.

Felicity had lost track of what day it was, or how long she had been inside the cell. She tried marking talleys on the walls or on the frame of the cot she had to sleep on, but most of the time, it was too thin to read. Even with all the friends she had had before she was put in the cell, Felicity only ever saw three people; her mother, Lyla, or some of the guards. Other than that, she was alone in her cell, dressed in a dark gray prison uniform with her hair grown out to a much longer length, exposing the true brownish gray color it was.

She was still sitting on her cot, lost in the few thoughts that she hadn't already over thinked, when there was a click from the door that led into the room where her cell was. She didn't bother to turn her head to the side, as she expected it to be one of the guards, but then caught a glimpse of the different colors

"You have ten minutes max" Lyla said

"Thank you" A familiar voice replied before the door shut "I didn't think I could do this"

The sound of the familiar voice finally made Felicity turn her head to the left. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Oliver Queen approaching her cell, wearing jeans and a coat, with a plate in his hands wrapped in saran wrap while Nyssa stood behind him and closer to the wall

"Oliver" Felicity muttered before turning her body to the side "What are you even doing here?!"

"Working on making a mense" Oliver replied as he slid the plate underneath part of the glass wall where normal meals would slip through "I thought that I could start with Thanksgiving, because no one should be alone today"

"Why? Why the hell would you suddenly care about me after seven months?! Why now after you and your psychotic girlfriend put me in here?!"

"First, she's my wife-"

"Wife?" Felicity asked with a small chuckle "Your judgement really has gone to crap"

"Just like yours did when you decided to help Noah take over the city?" Oliver asked, receiving silence from the fake blonde "And don't you EVER talk to her like that again"

"It's quite alright beloved" Nyssa spoke up "It's entertaining from my perspective. No harm done"

"She's got the emotional capacity of a rock" Felicity muttered "Wonderful choice for your bride Oliver"

"A rock, that's a new one" Nyssa smirked

"What are the regulars?" Felicity remarked

"Usually nice things, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to know. After all, I'm just Oliver's psychotic girlfriend so I shouldn't have a place in this"

"Psychotic is right, considering how you all go around and kill people on a regular basis"

"I haven't killed someone in almost two weeks. I'm doing pretty good" Nyssa laughed "That is, everyone else is doing well to not piss me off. If it helps you realize the type of person I am, I can count almost nine occasions where I wanted to drive a knife through your throat before I left-"

"Died" Felicity corrected "You died"

"T'was only an illusion" Nyssa started "But all those occasions were in one week. I considered it a personal victory when I had Lyla put you in this cell rather than take your life. But now that I'm in here looking at this place, I could have made an exception and killed you back when it happened to avoid all of this misery"

"Well if you want to kill me now, then go ahead! You're more than capable of breaking me out of this glass prison and getting your _proper_ revenge"

"I'd prefer not to, at least today. Being stuck in here is a much better punishment for all the innocent lives you threatened when you accepted Noah's invitation" Nyssa started "Maybe these seven months have done something for you or maybe they haven't. Either way, you deserve far worse for all the people that you put in harm's way, but not to mention the hell you put the team through all those years"

"Hell, look what you're doing!"

"And what exactly am I doing that's more hell-like than what you did?"

"You're running around with a large group of savages in the 'name of Justice' but you're only causing international problems!"

"Name one international problem I or my "savages" have caused"

"Well I can't name any right now because I'm trapped in this cell!"

"Exactly, you don't know for sure, but even if something like that did happen, you'd hear the guards talking about it because it would become a pretty big deal" Nyssa replied

"Felicity, I came here to try and set things right between us all, and maybe even give you a second chance" Oliver spoke up "But I can clearly see that I would have been wrong. Deathly wrong. How dare you. How dare you tell us about our faults when you have only your own to concern yourself about, especially when you don't have any idea what's actually going on. Those so called "savages" are actually life savers! Unlike you, they're actively saving lives while risking their own for the innocent. What did you ever do? You sat in a chair at a desk in a fortified bunker while calling the shots. Never once did you experience what it's really like out there because no matter what angle you try to see it from, you'll never truly understand until you're the one who's carrying the weight of innocent lives on your shoulders while being shot at!"

"Oh really? No doubt you have a replacement for me, who could never be better. What experience would they have. Aren't you being quite hypocritical by saying things like this?" Felicity asked

"Her name is Katara Victori and no, she doesn't just sit behind a desk like you did" Nyssa said "She was part of the US Cyber Command, where the best of the best go. If you truly are unbeatable, then why weren't you part of the command?"

"Because I work for me, no one else" Felicity said bluntly

"And that should have changed" Nyssa replied "If you're only working for yourself, then you will _never_ understand the sacrifice that someone has to make when they serve others"

"Felicity, we're never going to forget what you did to the team and that scar will be there for decades more, but that doesn't mean we can't try to forgive you" Oliver said "That's what we came here to do; to set our relationship on the right path, but this has gone to far. You're a selfish, ignorant, hypocritical shrew and it was a mistake to have you on the team for as long as we did, especially when it was obvious that there needed to be a change for so long"

"Well we can't all be like you Mr. Mayor" Felicity mocked "Sorry to disappoint you and the "angel" you call a wife"

"Don't try to build yourself up by belittling others. It's pathetic" Oliver said

Oliver didn't give her the chance to respond, and quite frankly, he didn't want to. Instead, he turned around and started walking towards the door with Nyssa, who peeled off from the side and joined him. As soon as they were about five feet away from the door after walking out of the room, they heard one of the guards shut it behind them

"Hear that beloved?" Nyssa smirked as they walked "I'm an angel"

"Yes, I knew that already" Oliver smirked back "It'd amaze me if you weren't"

"You treat me too well"

"I don't think I treat you well enough"

"Hmm, you must be delusional if you think that"

"Think it's that bad?" Oliver chuckled

"Just a bit"

-(=+=)-

Oliver unlocked the front door and stepped to the side, allowing Nyssa to walk in before him. When they both stepped in, they immediately noticed that most of the lights in the house were off, except the one coming from the living room. Nyssa walked towards the room with Oliver behind her and they both saw Slade sitting on the couch while petting Caspian, who was lying on the couch with his head in Slade's lap

"Hey" Oliver greeted "Where's everyone else?"

"The Lances went back home, your sister took Harper back to her place, your brother-in-law went to his place, the Ramirezs and Holt went back to their homes, and William went to bed about a half hour ago" Slade replied

"That's rather convenient" Oliver said "This place is a lot cleaner than it was when we left"

"It was your sister's idea, but we took care of all the dishes"

"Oh, wow, thank you"

"No problem" Slade said as he got up from the couch "I'm going to head out and find a hotel room"

"Or!" Oliver interjected "You could stay here. We have a guest room down here if you'd prefer that. Think of it as a thank you, of sorts"

"Hefty offer kid"

"It's not a problem, really. I insist"

"Alright then. I'll go get my things from my car" Slade said before he started walking towards the door "I need to leave at an earlier hour in order to make my flight"

"It's not a problem. Nyssa and I both have to get up as well"

"Where's she going?"

"I have a league I need to get back to" Nyssa replied "Can't leave them on their own for long, especially when my second hand isn't in the best physical and mental health"

"Something happen to them?" Slade asked

"She's five months pregnant with twins"

"I see your point then" Slade started "I'll be right back"

"The guest room is just on the other side of the dining room" Oliver said

Nyssa started walking towards the stairs to the second level of the house after the little conversation finished. Oliver went into the kitchen first and opened up the fridge to discover that the pies they had made were still in there, except for one. Where one of the pies should have been was a note from Thea

 _Group got hungry and your pie was the sacrifice. It was good!  
~Your loving sister_

Oliver smiled as he pulled the note out of the fridge and set it on the counter. He then walked towards the entry way, up the stairs and towards the master bedroom door, which was halfway open. When Oliver stepped inside, he saw Nyssa sitting on the edge of the bed writing something on a small piece of paper

"Whatcha writing?" Oliver asked as he took a seat next to her

"Just a little reminder for tomorrow" Nyssa replied "I was going to take a shower so writing it on my wrist wouldn't be very helpful"

"Talk to Zayn about DPC" Oliver read allowed "Is this for your Bratva problem?"

"Yeah, we're not sure how Anatoly is going to hit us next, so we're taking a step in advance and setting up defensive positions at certain coordinates around Finiks Jurf and the rest of the Vesteralen archipelago so we can get the jump on him before he's knocking on our front gates"

"You guys got the gates up at the entrance to the fjord?"

"It's a work in progress, but actually construction is starting in a few days. We have to wait for the actual gate to be made. For now, the side of the fjord are being reinforced so we can add in the parts that will open, as well as something like an underground river that will lead to an internal fjord lake thing where we'll have a lake"

"Sounds pretty eventful" Oliver started "Can't wait to see what the fjord will look like in a few years"

"It will be massive! I can guarantee that right away! Hayden's been hard at work over the past month. He's got things planned that I didn't even think were possible"

"Maybe we should just move to Norway in a few years and hang out there because maybe by then, you'll have your own space station floating above"

"Zayn actually has a team working on that right now" Nyssa laughed "He says that we'll have a satellite for easier communications by July"

"Holograms?"

"Predicted for September"

"Cure for cancer?"

"Eternal Water is being tested and modified for things like that"

"Here's the better question; what aren't you doing?"

"Ending a war with the Bratva anytime soon" Nyssa sighed before lowering her tone "I wish I could just appear right in front of that short bastard and strangle him!"

"Why don't you?" Oliver laughed "You can, technically"

"Technically, yes, but he still has the rest of the Bratva that would come after us directly or get to us from our allies"

"Never easy leading a war, is it?"

"Never" Nyssa said before standing up "I'm taking a shower so I can go to sleep"

"Sounds like a good idea" Oliver replied "Don't drop anything!"

"That's an odd thing to remind me of"

"William's asleep and Sara's supposed to be coming by tomorrow morning to pick him and Zoe up for the day"

"Right, I forgot about that" Nyssa said before walking into the bathroom "I'll do my absolute best not to run into a wall"

"Since when have _you_ run into a wall?"

"Last week. Here" Nyssa said while her face started turning red "You were still at the office and I tripped down the stairs to the basement. Thank god William wasn't here at the time"

"I kind of wish I was here to see that" Oliver said "Not to sound mean or anything"

"It's fine. It was a first for me, not to brag"

"You're bragging"

"Am not"

"Normal people run into walls all the time"

"Really? When did you run into a wall?"

"Two days ago. Ask Thea and Quentin" Oliver laughed "I was reading a file on my way back to my office from Rene's, I took a wrong turn, and while I still had my head down, I ran straight into the wall outside my office and spilled coffee all over the documents and some on my shoes"

"When can I get my job back on the security detail and see this stuff?" Nyssa asked while laughing "I'll have to hara-ask Tarren about that"

"Smooth" Oliver snickered

"Thank you beloved, I try"

"I know" Oliver smiled before climbing to his side of the bed and taking off his coat

While Oliver got situated with a book on his side of the bed, Nyssa closed the door to the bathroom, making the bedroom quiet except for the occasional page turning, which was soon accompanied by the sound of running water a few minutes later

-(=+=)-

Nyssa stood in the kitchen, pouring tea into one of her cups while dressed in the underpart of her garb so she looked more normal. When she turned around and leaned up against the counter, she heard someone coming down the stairs.

"Morning mom!" William greeted as he walked into the kitchen with Caspian, who had been upstairs with him

"Hey buddy" Nyssa smiled "Is Sara coming soon?"

"Yeah. Mr. Lance lives near Zoe so Sara went to her house first, then she's coming here" William said before glancing at his phone "They'll be here in about ten minutes"

"Okay. When you see Sara, give her hell" Nyssa laughed "For stealing the last of the potatoes last night"

"You're getting revenge on Sara for stealing the last of the potatoes?" Oliver laughed as he walked into the kitchen

"They were really good"

"Yeah, and to think you did those on your own without burning down the kitchen is even more entertaining to think about" Oliver snickered

"I wouldn't burn down the kitchen! Sure, a few years ago I would have but look how far I've come" Nyssa laughed

"Yeah, I'm proud of you" Oliver smiled

"Thank you beloved"

"I'm confused. Did I just walk in on something?"

Oliver and Nyssa both turned towards the dining room to see Slade walking around the corner, dressed in a nice pair of jeans, a tee shirt, and his signature eye patch

"No, you're fine. Just teasing my wife" Oliver said as he started making his coffee "Would you like a coffee?"

"Sure" Slade replied, so Oliver got started making two cups "Do you mind if I ask something?"

"Not at all" Oliver said

"Last night when I came back inside, I heard you two talking about Anatoly" Slade started "Is this the same Anatoly that helped on Lian Yu?"

"Yeah, that's him" Oliver said

"What's he doing now?"

"That bastard's been causing problems for the past eight months or so. He and the Bratva are just a natural enemy of the league and now we're in a miniature war because they can't establish their territories in Siberia without screwing with my troops and someone always ends up killing someone else" Nyssa replied in almost a growl

"He's been causing her a lot of problems" Oliver translated

"I see" Slade started "Well if you ever need some backup, just give me a call and I'll fly up to….?"

"Norway, Guvag, that area" Nyssa replied We've taken the fjord just east of Guvag"

"I'll be up there if you need it then"

"Thank you" Nyssa said before glancing at the clock "Shoot, I need to get going. Lena's going to kill me if I get there late"

"No she won't" Oliver said

"Yes she will. She's been having these mood swings and they're usually really bad in the evenings, which is when I get there so yay me! Andrew gets the easy mornings apparently"

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss" Slade said after Oliver slid his coffee across the counter

"Thank you!" Nyssa said while looking towards Oliver "See? He gets it!"

"I had to deal with a pregnant wife twice. I get the pain" Slade said

"Either way, you know what I mean and Elena's going to really regret what she did when she has the twins" Nyssa said before putting her cup in the sink "I'll see you tonight beloved"

"You too. Tell Elena I said hi" Oliver replied

"I can do that" Nyssa said, then turned towards Slade "Safe travels, and thanks you finding the time to come out here"

"It was an honor. Thank you for inviting me. It was a nice change of pace" Slade said with a small smile spreading across his face "And if you do need something, don't hesitate to call. I'm always willing to pull out my sword again"

"I'll remember that" Nyssa said before turning towards William "Be good for Sara, alright buddy?"

"Why would I not?" William asked with a smirk

"Not sure, I guess I mean make sure to keep Caspian in line"

"I can do that, quite easily nowadays"

"Great, just keep doing it" Nyssa said before turning towards the basement door "I'll try to get home at around five tonight. I have a feeling things might get pushed back a bit"

"It's not a problem at all. Just do what needs to be done. Love you Nys"

"Love you too!" Nyssa called back as she made her way downstairs

"You two certainly have a good relationship. Much better than the one you had with Felicity" Slade observed

"Yeah, and I'm more than lucky to have it"

-(=+=)-

The golden fire around Nyssa's feet disappeared into the air as she opened her eyes again, to get the brilliant view of the waterfall in the entrance hall of Finiks Jurf. For the most part, everything around was pretty silent and unpopulated, except for the few assassins that would walk in and out of the entrance hall. Since Elena was nowhere in sight, Nyssa started walking towards the entrance and soon stepped outside into the evening air. Right as she started turning towards her side, Nyssa heard someone running towards her

"Nyssa!" A familiar voice called

"Zayn" Nyssa said when she turned around with a small smile "I didn't expect to see you this early"

"Early, sure" Zayn started "Listen, so my team and I have been working nonstop for the last 32 hours to try and create a countermeasure for if the Bratva get too close to the fjord, and we would like to test it in the next hour with you present"

"Wow, that's amazing" Nyssa smiled "What is it?"

"A missile, and we've developed it so it has a tracking system for its target"

"Well what are we waiting for? What can I do to speed this along?"

"Follow me"

-(=+=)-

"Woah" Nyssa breathed when she reached the top of the fjord, where Zayn and his team had a missile launcher set up "I'm trying not to question how you got a missile launcher up here and it's not impossible at the moment"

"Okay, that's a good start" Zayn replied "Elena and Andrew should be here too. They were very interested in it as well"

"As they should be" Nyssa started "I'm surprised by how sudden this is. I didn't think this would be on your priorities list"

"That's what I thought originally" Zayn said from where he was programming the launcher "But I gave it some more thought and came to the decision that if there's a war going on, then we need to be ready to defend ourselves at all cost, which meant pushing aside a few other projects to get this done. Thankfully, we had a basic missile that I used for a base, otherwise this would have taken much longer to complete….Okay, I think we're all set to go"

"Then it looks like we're just in time" A voice called from the side

"Andrew!" Zayn called "Perfect timing my brother!"

"As we can see" Elena said "This is quite impressive"

"It will be even more impressive when there's a missile in the sky ready to take something down" Zayn said before turning towards a table he had set up on the side "Dylan, pass me the test subject"

Dylan, Zayn's assistant and apprentice, fumbled with a few things on the table before walking back towards Zayn with a few plastic frisbees. Zayn took one of them, flipped it once, then presented it towards Nyssa

"Care to help me with the demonstration?" Zayn asked while holding out the bring orange frisbee

"Sure" Nyssa replied "Feels very professional with this mac n' cheese colored frisbee"

"What? Never heard you say that before"

"I have a son that's been craving mac n' cheese for the past two weeks"

"Fair enough" Zayn shrugged "Anyway! All you need to do is throw the frisbee as high and far as you can go"

"And what are you going to do?"

"I'll use the aiming software Dyland and I set up to pinpoint the frisbee and it's future location, then I'll shoot. Automatic bullseye!"

"Okay, but you're shooting a missile at a frisbee. What makes you think that the missile would even hit it with how big it is?"

"You'd be surprised by just how accurate and sensitive this missile is towards small objects. A simple brush up against the head could trigger the explosion when it's ready to be launched, which is the only thing that we would have to fix later"

"Just don't question it Nys!" Elena called "Don't ruin Zayn's fun!"

"I'll do my best Lena!" Nyssa called with a small laugh

"Whenever you're ready" Zayn said

Nyssa took a small stance and pulled her arm back. After leveling herself for a brief moment, she flung her arm to the side, sending the frisbee up into the air at a slight sideways angle. Zayn started to aim for the bright orange disk but right before he could hit the 'launch' button, a strong gust of wind blew from the left. The frisbee was immediately pushed upwards into the sky at an alarming rate, but Zayn didn't get a full opportunity to re aim before his hand slipped from the wind and pressed down on the launch button. The missile immediately fired one of the missiles up into the air at nearly 400mph. A few seconds passed by before the edge of the missile head skimmed the plastic rim of the frisbee, creating a huge explosion about 3,000 feet above the surface of the water below.

"Oh my god" Andrew breathed

"How big did you make those explosions?!" Elena gasped

"I did not expect it to be that large" Zayn murmured

"Dylan, how high was that?" Nyssa asked without breaking eye contact from the site of the explosion

"Nearly 915 meters" Dylan spoke up

"Zayn, how bright do you think that was?!" Nyssa asked quickly

"I have no idea! I turned away! Why?"

"That explosion was much higher than anything we've ever tested and because it was an explosion, it will created a smoke signal and the general brightness of the fire would make us an easy target! Not to mention if any Bratva members are within the 50 mile radius!"

"You're right. I'll get in contact with the defense team and make sure no one's out there"

"Better" Nyssa said "Andrew I-"

"Nyssa…." Andrew said while looking up

"What?"

"Look up…."

Nyssa didn't have to look up to identify what Andrew was looking at, because the roar of the jets were a dead give away. She still turned around and looked up into the night sky, to see three military jets shoot across the sky that didn't belong to the league

"That can't be" Elena muttered "There's no way"

"No, it is" Zayn said while also looking up "Look at the writing on the sides"

"It's…"

"The Royal Norwegian Air force" Nyssa finished "Shit…."

 **Author's Note: Hey peeps, apologies for the very late and inconsistent updating. I'm finishing up finals week and right now, I just want to crawl in a hole and hide from the rest of the world.**


	40. Welcome To Oslo

"It's the Royal Norwegian Air Force…." Nyssa muttered "Shit…"

"Are you sure?! Could it just be a misreading" Elena asked

"No, they must have been doing drills. This area is perfect for it because of how open and deserted it is" Nyssa replied "I knew this was going to happen eventually"

"So what do we do? Shoot them down?" Zayn asked

"Oh no, we are not shooting them down!" Andrew shot back "That would just cause even more issues"

"Well do you want another issue?" Elena asked "Those planes are approaching our runway"

"So we really have been caught. How long do you think we have?"

"Zayn, you're supposed to be the genius. We've got less than three minutes at the most" Andrew said

"So Nyssa, what's the plan?"

"Andrew, go to the main hall with Elena and wait there in case something goes south" Nyssa instructed "Zayn, follow me"

"Can't imagine that this is going to go well" Zayn muttered from behind

Nyssa didn't say anything as they hurried down from the cliff side and to the main paths of Finiks Jurf, just in time to see the jets landing on the runway.

"Nyssa!" Someone called.

Nyssa turned to her side and saw Ishaq approaching her, along with four other assassins behind him.

"What's going on?" He questioned "Why are there Norwegian military jets on the runway?!"

"Experiment acted like a flare so now we have to deal with this." Nyssa explained. "All five of you, come with me. We may need some back up if they're armed."

Zayn, Ishaq, and the four other assassins all followed Nyssa down the carved out pathways on the sides of the fjord and quickly made their way up the staircase that led to the runway. When they had finally reached the top, they could see three Norwegian military jets. Though it was almost pitch black outside, they could see the detail on their uniforms from the lights that were used to light the runway, and with a bit of help from the faint lights down in the fjord. Several of the assassins that primarily worked on the runway were surrounding the Norwegians, ready to attack if something happened but the Norwegians took that as a threat and had their own guns ready to fire.

"Lower your weapons and stand down!" One of the men barked. "Stand down or we will attack!"

"Lower yours and we'll lower ours!" An assassin shouted back, pulling back on his bow's drawstring tighter. "You're on our turf!"

"This is Norwegian ground! You are all trespassing and will be incarcerated. Any actions you take can and will be used against you!"

"We wouldn't need to take any actions if you would lower your weapons!"

"Where is your leader!" The Norwegian barked. "Where is he-"

"She." Nyssa corrected as she approached the Norwegians with six other assassins behind her, including Zayn and Ishaq.

The Norwegians all turned their heads towards the other side of the runway, where Nyssa was coming from. "You lead these men?" The man asked as he stepped forward slightly.

"I do. Stand down, leave, and no further problems will be caused."

"Your men are trespassing on Norwegian territory. Anyone found on this ground will be arrested and tried in accordance to the Norwegian government's court."

"We have not caused any problems in the time that we have been here and no force has been used on these grounds."

"By being here you are a threat to the city of Guvåg less than three miles away."

"None know of our existence."

"Sir!" One of the men called from behind the one who was talking, who Nyssa also assumed was their leader. "The reinforcements are less than a mile away."

"You called reinforcements?" Nyssa said with a slight growl, one that the Norwegians couldn't pick up on but Zayn found incredibly obvious.

"Considering that your men are in stance that suggests they are ready to attack, I believe calling reinforcements was the right idea."

"And by bringing more military personnel, you'd be creating a tone that suggests you and your men will be attacking, prompting my men to lead an attack of their own. At that point, we're both stuck."

"Cooperate and there won't be any problems. That starts with your men standing down before my men are forced to take action."

Nyssa hesitated for a moment before looking towards her own men on the perimeter of the runway. "At ease."

The assassins that had their weapons ready all looked back and forth at each other for a moment before standing up straight and lowering their weapons. The Norwegians all looked at each other and started to ease up, but none of them lowered their weapons. While the leaders of both sides silently gave commanders to their men, another roar of jets came from above. Everyone outside could see that more Norwegian military jets were landing on the far side of the runway. Nearly fifty men came out of the three Lockheed C-130 Hercules planes and hurried towards their comrades.

"These guys mean business." Zayn whispered. "Maybe you want to send them a little warning shot."

"If it comes to that, I will." Nyssa whispered back. "But I'm saving that as a last resort."

"So what should we do? These men aren't going to back down and it's not like we'd get anywhere helpful if they get their way. For all I know, all of us could end up in a nice Norwegian prison."

"I will not let something like that happen. The only way out of this without causing more problems is to play it their way." Nyssa huffed. "Looks like we're-"

"You there!" A Norwegian shouted, pointing towards Nyssa. "You're the leader."

"Yes."

"You're coming with us."

"To?"

"Oslo."

"What happened to your proclaimed court?"

"The court has shifted due to the extreme circumstances. You'll be talking directly to parliament."

"On who's orders?"

"The general." He answered. "He's conveyed a message to parliament. They have decided that leaving something as large as this in the hands of a traditional court system would cause more harm. When we receive word, you and anyone else directed to the leadership of this will be taken to Oslo for the audience."

As the man started walking back towards the other members of the military, several assassins grouped up with each other, each preparing to attack if necessary.

"We need to make a backup plan." Zayn said. "They don't know about Elena and Andrew yet so they can stay behind and work up something to stop all of this."

"It's too late. No matter what we do, we're going to end up back here." Nyssa replied. "There's no where we can go where they won't find us and if we try to lie our way through this, it will only get worse."

"So what should we do? You can't seriously be thinking about going before parliament. They'll put you in prison no doubt! Wait a moment, you're actually-"

"It's already been decided Zayn. We're going before parliament."

-(=+=)-

Oliver walked up the front steps in the dark of night. The sun had set hours ago, yet it was only eight o'clock at night. Earlier, he had received a call from Sara saying that she dropped William off at home with Caspian after they all got dinner out, so that had dropped from Oliver's list of concerns.

As he turned the key, the lock on the door released a small click. He pushed the door open and was happy to see that the inside was lit up, suggesting that people were home. Oliver shut the door behind him and started to take off his shoes, but then heard footsteps coming up to the railing of the second level.

"Hey Dad." His fourteen year old son greeted from the railing. "How was work?"

"Productive, thank you." Oliver answered. "How was your day with Sara and Zoe?"

"Girls are exhausting." William huffed, making Oliver just chuckle. "I don't mean all I just mean that spending an entire day with them can get weird!"

"Oh I get it buddy, don't worry."

"I don't think I want to start dating any time soon."

"Rightfully so. You're too young, but that will change at some point." Oliver said. "Where's your mom?"

"Not really sure. She hasn't come home yet. I thought she would have called you if there was a complication."

"Yeah, she would ha-"

Oliver was cut off by a crashing sound that came from just below them. William looked down towards his father for a brief second before Oliver dashed off towards the basement, William following behind. The basement door swung open easily and Oliver dashed down the stairs, but stopped when he saw Nyssa standing up from the ground.

"Nys?" Oliver questioned as he walked down the remaining steps and towards her. "What's going on? Are you alright?"

"Just tripped." She breathed once she was back on her feet. Nyssa glanced down at the watch that was strapped to her wrist past the black bracer she was wearing. "I have to get back soon. This day has been a nightmare."

"What are you talking about? What's going on?"

"Zayn was testing a new missile-"

"You have missiles now?!"

"Yeah, as a precaution if something does happen." Nyssa answered. "It went too high before detonating and it acted as a flare. Some members of the Norwegian air force saw it and came to Finiks Jurf, called back up, and for the entire day, the entire fjord has been on a lock down with military personnel everywhere. I have been stuck negotiating with them all day, diffusing problems from both sides, and they've had their eye on me this entire time. Elena helped me get away but I had to run and that brings us to this point."

"What's going to happen then? Are you guys alright or should Lyla send ARGUS in?"

"Oh god no. That would make things worse. Norwegian authorities have demanded that any other leaders and I go to Oslo where we'll be put in front of parliament, and from there we'll find out if we're going to keep Finiks Jurf or be thrown in prison."

"So this isn't a court case? Because I know some very good lawyers that could help out."

"No, they won't treat this like a normal court case because they believe that we've been exploiting them and causing threats to the government directly."

"Which you're not."

"I know that. The league knows that, but they don't and they are going to end up learning everything."

"You have to tell them everything then."

"Everything."

"What about your….meta thing."

"That's the one thing I'm not going to tell them right away. If it comes up and it is relevant to the case, then I will do my best to explain it. Otherwise, we're just an organized group of individuals looking to set the world straight." Nyssa said, but then looked down at her watch again. "I really need to go. For all I know, Elena's getting beat up because I left. Not to mention Zayn and Andrew."

"You go do what you have to do, alright?" Oliver asked. "And call me if you need anything. Doesn't matter what time. If you need to talk or you need _anything_ , just call."

"Thank you beloved."

"Mom?" William asked behind. "You got into trouble with the government?"

"A little." Nyssa smiled. "Don't worry. I'll fix it and everything will be just fine."

"But you could go to prison."

"I wouldn't leave you. I would do anything to ensure that a sentence is avoided."

"So you'll be back soon?"

"I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Alright."

"Be safe out there Nys" Oliver said. "And don't do anything stupid."

"I'll do my best to avoid it." Nyssa smirked, but quickly pulled Oliver into a kiss.

When she pulled away, Oliver looked back down towards her and smiled. "See you when you come home."

"See you both soon."

Oliver and William both stepped back up to the stairs and waited as Nyssa stepped back towards the wall. She tapped her heel on the ground and within a span of four seconds, a flurry of golden flames filled the room and in the next second, Nyssa was gone.

"So…" William began. "Now what?

"Now we wait for the good news, and you start thinking about getting ready for bed soon."

"It's thanksgiving break though."

"But school starts back on Monday and you need to start getting back in the loop of things."

"I still have two days."

"Well it's best to start getting ready. Is Caspian upstairs with you?"

"Yeah, he's been sleeping on my floor."

"Alright. I need to finish a few things for the city before I call it a night. Lights out no later than ten-"

"Midnight."

"Ten thirty."

"Eleven thirty."

"Eleven. End of discussion."

"Fine."

"Before you go to bed, please make sure that Caspian's been let outside."

"Sure." William started, but then looked directly at his father. "Mom's usually the one that does this stuff with me. Are you sure she'll be back?"

"Of course." Oliver reassured. "She knows what she's doing."

"But what if the Norwegians are almost looking for blood and she ends up in prison for basically no reason?"

"Well, three things could happen at that point. One, she could work her way around and avoid the sentence completely. Two, she does get in prison but then I contact a really good lawyer and bring it to court. Three, she gets in prison, we can't get her out through the court system, and she'll have to start….teleporting never seemed like the right word."

"She hates doing that. Do you really think she'd do it every day?"

"No doubt. She loves you William. She loves both of us and she'll do everything in her power to make sure that the three of us can't be separated. You have nothing to worry about."

"If you say so. Night Dad."

"Night Buddy."

As William walked back up the stairs and into his room, Oliver turned and walked towards the home office. The lights were dimmed like normal and upon walking in, they all started to brighten up. One of the many perks of automatic lighting. He made his way over to the desk in the center of the room, where loose papers were scattered and a few photo frames stood on the corners. Most of them were of him, Nyssa and William together, but there was one towards the back of just him and Nyssa in Anse Lazio, where he proposed to her. He could remember that William was the one that took the picture since, at the time, he was interested in photography. That sudden interest lasted a total of three weeks, which is the main reason why Oliver never bought him an expensive camera.

After a minute, Oliver finally took his seat at the desk and started to pull out some of the things he didn't have time to complete at City Hall earlier in the day. From upstairs, he could hear Caspian scuffling around on the carpet and assumed that William was trying to play a game with him, but he didn't mind. It was the perfect white noise to make the whole situation seem normal when it was anything but.

-(=+=)-

Elena paced back and forth in one of the large corridors of Finiks Jurf, where she had assisted Nyssa with getting home. Several members of the Norwegian military were walking through the large caves that the assassins had made, searching for anyone trying to escape, which was why the two leaders had decided that using one of the less traveled corridors was the best way.

"C'mon Nyssa." Elena muttered. "Hurry up already."

A grand total of three more minutes had passed by and while Elena was still pacing, a flurry of flames came from her left. She immediately glanced over to that side and let out a sigh of relief when she saw Nyssa approaching.

"Thank god!" Elena breathed. "One more minute and one of the Norwegians would have found out for sure!"

"I was doing my best." Nyssa replied. "What's going on? Have there been any changes?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Where's Zayn and Andrew?"

"I actually have no idea. I haven't seen much of Andrew since the third set of jets arrived."

"We need to start by finding them and from there, we'll figure out how we want to organize the rest of the-"

"You two!" A voice called from behind. Both women turned around to see one of the Norwegian soldiers approaching them. "You're both coming with me."

"And why is that?" Nyssa asked.

"Captain's orders. The plane that's taking you to Oslo has arrived. Members of the Air Force will escort you to the capital."

"And where are the other leaders?"

"Gathered in the main hall waiting for departure. That's where you're going."

"Very well then."

"What's your plan for once you get to Oslo?" Elena whispered as they both started walking in the direction of the main entrance hall. "Please tell me you have a plan."

"Something similar, but neither of the guys and I would be able to tell what's going to happen once we get there. For us, it's just best to figure it out as we go."

"Hopefully you'll all figure something out. It'd be a shame to lose the place and be arrested."

"I know."

"And if that wasn't enough motivation for you, I have two children who would love anything but to be born without their father there or worse, in a prison."

"I know."

"And don't forget William and Oliver, I mean, what would happen to those two if you-"

"Elena!" Nyssa snapped. "I get it just…please stop. You're not helping."

"Right, sorry. Got a bit carried away."

"MmHmm."

After another few minutes of walking in silence, Nyssa and Elena both turned a corner and found themselves in the entrance hall. In the center of the room was a small group of Norwegians, along with Zayn, Andrew, and a few other leaders from different divisions.

"Nys!" Zayn called. "Thank god you're here. I think one of us was going to end up doing something stupid."

"You have five minutes before the plane leaves." One of the Norwegians said. "Anyone on the plane will face Parliament. Others left behind will stay here under supervision."

"Wonderful." Andrew muttered as the Norwegians left the small group. "So what do we do? Who's going with."

"For obvious reasons, Elena is staying here." Nyssa said, getting a nod in reply from her second in command. "I want to keep this as small as possible, as to not cause a scene. Zayn and Andrew, you'll both come with me to Oslo. The rest will stay here and keep an eye on the Norwegians."

"And, not to be picky," Zayn said. "But are we going dressed like this."

"No." Nyssa replied after eyeing Zayn and Andrew's league attire. "Find something to wear that will make you blend in. Suit and tie work just fine."

"And should we carry some form of weapon?" Andrew muttered.

"Zayn, you have those nonmetal daggers, right?" Nyssa asked.

"The ones that have the retractable blade?" Zayn asked, receiving a nod from his leader. "They're in my lab. I can get them before we leave."

"Grab those for you and Andrew. Hide them well. Security will be one of our bigger problems and if they find out that we brought weapons before their leaders, the whole situation will become even more difficult to work with."

"What about you?" Andrew asked. "You said only Zayn and I need the knives."

"One of us needs to carry a sword and bow. I figured let that be me considering I can hide them even better than you two."

"Smart." Zayn muttered with a smirk. "I'm going to go find my _good suit_ then."

"I need a tie." Andrew confessed. "It's been a while since I've worn an actual suit."

"What happened to the purple one?" Elena asked. "You know, the one you normally wore back at home."

"I have no idea where it is to be completely honest. Zayn, you can help me, right?"

"I suppose but it really depends. Are you fine with a dark blue?"

"Anything works."

"Great. Follow me."

"Please hurry." Elena called.

"We'll be quick Lena!" Andrew called back before he and Zayn disappeared through one of the corridors.

"I'm really starting to worry about those two." Elena muttered.

"And why's that?" Nyssa asked.

"I mean, not that I don't think you'll be successful. I just have this….notion that it won't go by without a few bumps."

"It would be heaven if that weren't the case, but we're in the middle of hell. I would start to expect less…."

-(=+=)-

"We will now begin our descent to Oslo." One of the pilots announced to the people gathered in the cabin.

"You really think we're landing in Oslo and not some prison in the far north?" Zayn muttered from where he sat with Nyssa and Andrew on the plane, all three of them dressed in business professional attire.

"We are heading south." Andrew answered. "You can tell if you look out the window."

"I usually don't get window seats. I'm not used to this."

"You'll get it eventually. It's pretty easy to figure out."

"You're awfully quiet Nyssa." Zayn spoke up. "It's a bit intimidating. Saying something would be better than nothing in this situation."

"Alright." Nyssa answered. "I haven't worn heels in the longest time and they're killing my feet."

"Ooh, sorry." Andrew said. "I get it."

" _You_ get it?" Nyssa asked with a raised eyebrow. "When would you have known? Did you wear heels back in Crete?"

"We played a game of truth or dare about a month ago, since we had some time to kill." Zayn spoke up. "I dared him to walk in heels for a half hour. He had to wear Elena's heels."

"And I suppose she doesn't know?" Nyssa questioned.

"She wouldn't be using them anytime soon." Andrew pointed out. "Besides, I now have a new perspective on wearing heels and an appreciation for those who wear them for an extended amount of time."

"That was certainly….interesting."

"Even more interesting to say that when we're in a confined space with a bunch of Norwegian military members." Zayn added while looking around in the plane.

"Tha boroúsa na ta páro káthe méra! (I could take them any day!)" Andrew muttered.

"Tóte giatí milás elliniká? (Then why are you speaking Greek?)" Nyssa asked. "Fovoúntai óti tha sas akoúsoun kai tha sas prokalésoun? (Scared they'll hear you and challenge you?)"

"I hate you both." Zayn grumbled. "You know I can't speak Greek."

"Then learn." Andrew laughed. "furas hum yaerifun allughat alearabia (Chances are they know Arabic.)"

One of the men standing in front of the three assassins glanced over his shoulder, quickly catching eye contact with Nyssa and Andrew.

"Je te l'ai dis (Told you.)" Andrew said.

"Oh mon dieu, choisis une langue et colle-la! (Oh my god just pick a language and stick with it!)" Zayn snapped. "Grec, arabe, français ou anglais. Choisissez-en un! (Greek, Arabic, French or English. Pick one!)"

"Hey!" One of the Norwegians called. "If you continue that we'll be forced to separate you."

"Not even in Oslo and we're already causing problems." Zayn muttered. "We're just _fantastic_ human beings."

"Agree to disagree." Andrew said.

The next ten minutes of flying were relatively silent, the only talking being from the pilot's announcements to the cabin of the military plane. More times than not, Nyssa, Andrew, and Zayn all caught the Norwegians glancing back at them like they were plotting something. Eventually, the ground started getting closer and closer until the wheels touched down on the runway. While the Norwegians bustled around, the three assassins were left sitting on the bench.

"Hey." Zayn muttered, getting Andrew and Nyssa's attention. "Are you seeing all the security they have outside?"

"How bad is it?" Nyssa asked.

"Looks like they have at least three military troops here." Zayn said while looking out the window. "Several look armed."

" _Wonderful_." Nyssa muttered. "Just stay low. We should be fine."

"You three." A soldier said from the open door of the plane. "Follow me."

Nyssa, Zayn and Andrew all stood up from the bench and followed the soldier to the back of the plane, where a door was open. When they stepped out, the three of them could easily tell that they were seen more as potential enemies rather than potential allies, judging from the heavy amount of security. A row of soldiers stood on either side of the staircase that led down to the ground and all of them kept a close eye on the assassins as they walked straight ahead towards a man dressed in a much more formal uniform.

"You're the leaders of that colony." The man said. "General Halvorsen. I'll be overseeing security."

"Pleasure." Nyssa replied.

"If you'll follow me."

Nyssa was the first to step forward with the general, followed by Andrew then Zayn. They were led to an armored car at the edge of the runway, heavily guarded by other soldiers and two other armored cars.

"This sure is something." Zayn muttered as they approached. "What are we; terrorists or leaders of a foreign country?"

"Little bit of both in this situation." Andrew replied. "I guess these people see us more as leaders."

"The real question is how the officials will see it." Nyssa muttered.

Their conversation had to end when they were just a few feet away from the car. One of the soldiers opened the door for them, allowing the three to slip inside on the dark leather seats. The driver glanced back at them through the rear view mirror, but none of them cared much for the glances at that point. As soon as the door shut behind Zayn, who was the last to get it, the driver started driving off the runway, following another armored car that was heading towards Stortinget, where they would be meeting Parliament.

-(=+=)-

The half hour ride to Stortinget had been completely silent between the three assassins and as expected, the driver didn't say anything. The roads had been cleared for the most part and before any of them realized just how much time had passed, the car was pulling up to the front of Stortinget.

"I really wish I was in Hawaii right now." Zayn muttered. "This is going to be a nightmare."

"Thankfully this part is short." Nyssa replied. "From what I heard, it's the king we have to worry about for the final call, but I could be wrong."

"Hopefully he's a reasonable guy."

A man outside of the car opened the door once the car came to a stop. Andrew was the first to get out, followed by Nyssa and Zayn who all got the same view of the heavy security all around them. One of the men dressed in a nice suit stepped out in front of the three assassins.

"If you'll follow me." He said

The three of them didn't say anything as the man stepped ahead of them and led the way inside the Stortinget. When they stepped inside, they were all greeted by a traditional, yet elegant, style that was used in the main entrance. Straight ahead was a large staircase with a runner going down the center, and that was the way they went. After walking through a few hallways, the small group came to a stop in front of two large doors. The man ahead of them didn't wait and pushed both doors open. Even from the doorway, Nyssa, Andrew and Zayn could all see that it was full of chairs, all occupied by members of parliament, except for three towards the front.

"I mean, it could be worse." Andrew muttered. "At least the cops aren't in there."

"Or the media." Nyssa added. "Let's just get this over with."

-(=+=)-

Nyssa, Andrew and Zayn all walked out of the assembly room, escorted by members of security towards the front of the Stortinget.

"And I thought this would be quick, like a one stop kind of deal." Zayn muttered. "That only took noon! Four hours without any real progress!"

"At least we're not being incarcerated on the spot." Andrew said. "But at least we know what's going on in full. I should call Elena and let her know what's going on."

"If you make that phone call they're going to start wondering what we're planning." Nyssa reminded. "Especially since we're meeting the king, I doubt a phone call would be acceptable."

"At least there's one answer I can rely on. All of this is confusing."

"We're doing rather well."

"Except for that portion of Parliament that wants to see us all behind bars." Zayn said. "Think the king will stand with them or us?"

"I have no idea." Nyssa replied.

"And if this doesn't go the way we want, then what?" Andrew asked. "Do we keep trying?"

"It's taken us almost a year to build the league to what it is now. I refuse to see it all undone within a day." Nyssa said sternly. "And if that means some more... _forceful_ actions need to be taken place, then I will not hesitate to do it."

Andrew nodded towards her as they continued to walk out of the Stortinget and back to the front, where the armored car was waiting, along with the press. Several news organizations had sent reporters out to the building, just in time to capture pictures of the three foreigners leaving the Stortinget. While Zayn and Andrew weren't in any international databases and didn't have interactions outside of the league they had to worry about, Nyssa was stuck with her reputation as the lady of Star City, and Oliver Queen's wife. She was doing her best to hide her face with her hair, but Andrew saw what she was doing and stepped to her side, blocking any view the reporters could have had of her face. Nyssa kept her head down the entire way back towards the car and once they were safely inside, she pulled it back behind her shoulders.

"Forgot about the media." Andrew said with a small sigh while watching the reporters pass by as the car started rolling away. "We should have thought about that before we left."

"I didn't expect word to get out that far, considering the military was involved and the matter was declared a top secret matter." Nyssa answered.

"What happens if word makes it to Star City?" Zayn asked. "I mean, everyone would be able to put the pieces together and figure out that you're one of the vigilantes, right?"

"If that were to happen, I have a very close friend that happens to be the captain of a time ship. I'm sure she could help me to figure it out."

"That is always an option." Andrew chuckled. "Zayn, why haven't you invented a time ship yet?"

"Because I'm a technological physicist, not a wizard." Zayn answered. "When you become a meta, then I'll start working on the time ship, deal?"

"Nyssa, you remember _way_ back in the day when you, Lenora, and….I forgot his name. Her boyfriend-"

"Jacob." Nyssa interrupted.

"Right, Jacob!" Andrew said. "Anyway, when you first got to Star City, weren't you using some serum that gave you guys temporary meta powers?"

"You know that's cheating, right?" Zayn asked.

"Yes, I remember that quite vividly." Nyssa replied.

"Can you hook me up with one?" Andrew asked.

"We burned them."

"You burned the serum?"

"All of it. Oliver, Lenora, Jacob and I all decided that after the battle with the second hive, they would be too dangerous if they fell into the wrong hands, so we destroyed all of it."

"You don't have one single dose left?"

"None."

"Well damn." Andrew sighed. "Can I borrow your sword?"

"No."

"Come on, I really want that time ship. I know Zayn can invent it and I need to just push him in the right direction. It will only be for around an hour once we get back to Finiks Jurf."

"You know it doesn't work that way, right?" Nyssa asked, but didn't get an reply. "The answer is no, but if you really want to convince Zayn, just call Jinja and ask her for her waffle recipe."

"It's that simple?"

"I can't believe you two." Zayn huffed. "I made nonmetal weapons, weapons with retractable blades, missiles, cures with the pond water-"

"Pond water." Andrew snickered. "Nice."

"Yeah, laugh all you want. I even made a sword with a blade made of a laser and you still want more from me. It's hard to believe that I'll ever actually impress you guys someday."

"Your time will come when you'll practically save the league with something. The time just isn't right."

"The real question is what I'd have to do to get there."

"I'm not sure. Only time would tell." Andrew finished. "So what's the plan for once we're in front of the king."

"Sugar coat the truth?" Zayn asked.

"No, you both just act as support. I'll take care of the rest." Nyssa answered. "What I say goes as the truth in there, understand?"

"You got it." Andrew replied.

"Got it." Zayn said. "What are you thinking though?"

"Something crazy…."

 **Author's Note: Apologies to those who have been waiting for this to be updated for a long time. Several other things IRL were taking priority. As for this chapter alone, I don't know much about how the Norwegian government works. I did as much research as I could, but there are still very good chances I messed something up, so apologies for that! I did my best!**


	41. The King

**A/N: I said I'd see this through to an end and I intend to keep it that way. I honestly have no idea what this schedule is, but whatever. A chapter published is still a chapter published in my book. Just a heads up, after this chapter, formatting, and tone of future chapters will be slightly different, but it will be for the better.**

 **Another disclaimer because everyone loves those. I tried my hardest with this form of government, but I apologize in advance if I messed something up.**

* * *

Everything was silent. The three of them sat in silence; no one was willing to speak up. It wouldn't have made a difference. The ride was barely even a few minutes, and it barely gave them time to think about their next move. Zayn stared out the window at the passing buildings and people. Andrew sat next to him, staring uncomfortably at the driver's forehead through the rear-view mirror. Occasionally, he glanced to his right, where Nyssa sat in silence just like the rest of them. A few times during the drive, both Zayn and Andrew wanted to break the silence, but it was beyond clear that it wouldn't do any good. The few minutes stretched into what felt like an eternity.

It was still silent when buildings transitioned into luscious, emerald grass. Trees were full of color, but they didn't block the incoming view: The Royal Palace. The tawny stone ground that would have normally been occupied with tourists was taken up by barricades holding back groups from the media. Palace guards stood vigilant, keeping a close eye on everyone's movements even as they began to grow louder when the armored car drove up to the front.

Andrew's gaze was torn away from the driver's wrinkly forehead when he saw the large group of reporters only a hundred feet away. "Was this all part of the original plan?" he asked, "When you and Lena were trying to figure out how all of this would turn out?"

"You couldn't have thought that this was just going to stay secret for long, could you?" Zayn inquired, "We drew the attention of the military. There was no chance the media wasn't going to get involved."

"I was asking Nyssa."

"I doubt you're going to get a different answer, but you may want to clarify for him Nys-"

"Don't call me that." Nyssa snapped. She glanced to her left and saw Zayn looking towards Andrew, taken back by the change in tone. "Apologies. I did not intend to snap."

"It's fine," Zayn answered, "But really, what's the plan?"

"The same thing I told you both a few minutes ago. Let me handle it and we will get out of this."

"You sound more confident than you were a few minutes ago." Andrew said, "What changed?"

"Someone has to look the part. Rightfully so, it should be me." She answered.

The car came to a stop in front of the palace and the reporters started to push one another to get the perfect shot. Palace guards took their positions on the side of the car and before any three of the assassins could prepare for it, the door was opened. Zayn hesitated at first but stepped outside of the car and smoothed out his charcoal gray suit. Andrew followed, leaving Nyssa. While Andrew was still getting out, she quickly glanced at the media through the other window, mentally thanking whoever decided to put them in a car with tinted windows. By the time Andrew had stepped out, Nyssa had already pushed her hair to one side of her face, blocking it so the media couldn't get a clear shot. To her relief, it didn't move out of place when she got out and stood straight up next to the other two assassins.

An older man dressed in a tuxedo walked out of the palace, accompanied by a palace guard at his right and his left. He stopped a few feet away from the small group.

"If you'll follow me," He spoke up, "The king is waiting."

Zayn exchanged a quick glance with Andrew, but Nyssa had already stepped ahead of them. They followed behind her and the man, disappearing into the castle and away from the shouting of the press.

Elegance was the first word that came to their minds when they saw the interior of the castle. The wooden floors looked untouched by anyone and the white walls accented with brown and gold décor seemed brand new. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings and luxurious seats with scarlet colored velvet lined the walls, but there was barely any time to take it in. The man in the tuxedo continued on his way and the two guards behind the group ensured that they kept their pace.

It wasn't until they were outside of two, white stained wooden doors when they finally slowed down. Two more guards stood outside the door and pushed it open for the group, but it still didn't create a welcoming feeling. The room they stepped into was a mix between a personal study and a conference room. More men in suits stood behind a large desk, where one older man sat. His formal, black jacket paired with the red sash crossing his chest and the medals displayed over his heart told the three assassins who he was immediately: The king.

"Zayn Rivett, Andrew Tsaoussis, and Nyssa Queen, your majesty." The man in the tuxedo announced.

The king sat still and eyed the three of them. "A Canadian, a Greek, and an American." He said, "I have to say, it is not what I was originally anticipating when I heard of this."

He made a quick gesture towards the man in the tux and on cue, he and the guards that he had entered with left the room, closing the door behind them. Nyssa took half a step forward, separating herself from the Zayn and Andrew, but also signifying that she was the one to address.

"Your majesty," One of the men in suits said, "As you have already been briefed, these three individuals have been identified as the leaders of the operations discovered on the Vesterålen Archipelago near Guvåg at 19:45 on November 22nd, 2018. Our military believes that said operations are that similar to an off-site military base. Several planes and weapons have been discovered on the premise, including missiles."

"And further information has yet to be acquired?" the king questioned.

"Our own men are gathering it as we speak." Another said. "Any intentions of theirs are unknown, but they are still considered armed, dangerous, and a threat to the country."

"For your safety, they were searched before coming here." A third man said. "No weapons were found."

None of the men or the king caught a glimpse of the smirk tugging at the corner of Zayn's mouth, but Andrew caught it. His gaze was enough to stop any further movement.

"They're smart." The king said, still staring Nyssa directly in the eye. "Leave us."

"But sir-"

"For your safety, we should remain here." The first one interrupted.

"I don't believe a woman with a young son and husband to go back to would attack me and put herself in a position deserving of a life sentence." The king concluded. "If so, the guards are outside."

Nyssa's gaze didn't leave the king and her expression didn't change, but from his position behind her and being naturally taller, Andrew saw her shoulders rise as she took in a breath. The men in suits were hesitant at first but filed out of the room. A few of them glanced towards the three assassins before disappearing out into the hallway, but the last one out shut the door behind them.

"As you can imagine," The king said, "This is not how I typically address matters such as these, but I have to give you and or organization some credit. You're good. As for how good, I have yet to find out, but I can easily discover with the men standing outside of this room."

"No harm towards you or your advisors is intended," Nyssa spoke, plainly and with barely any emotion.

"So, tell me then; Why are you in my country? What country are you working for and what are your intentions here?"

"We work for no other country, your majesty." Nyssa answered, "And we have not established a base, so we can bring any harm on your country."

"Before you even landed in Oslo, my advisors took the time to gather as much information on you three as possible. From what I heard, two of you were more difficult, but you," the king's gazed panned back towards Nyssa. "Were easier to come by. An American citizen, wife to the mayor of Star City, and mother to a boy named William. They _say_ you're American, but for all I know, it could be a cover. Your accent does suggest the latter." None of the assassins said a word or even twitched. "Lying will not get you anywhere. So, tell me, who are you really?"

Zayn and Andrew looked at each other from the corner of their eyes, but Nyssa couldn't see any of their worried glances before she spoke.

"Have your advisors or generals shown you the flag that we fly?" she asked.

"Yes. The black one with the bird."

"The bird is a phoenix. We've flown that flag for almost a year."

"And your organization?"

"Is not an organized military with the intent to start a war with another country."

"Then what are you?"

"An organized group of individuals at the service of other countries when we see fit."

"A large scaled group of mercenaries for any country's picking."

"No," Nyssa said quickly, "We assist in subtle ways."

"And where are the accounts of the times you've assisted?"

"No accounts are kept, your majesty."

"And the weapons found on the premise? Explain why an organization dedicated to assisting other countries would find a need for storing mass amounts of weapons. Swords? Bows? Missiles?" The king asked, clearly unconvinced by anything that she had said. "I fail to see the point in housing such items when an organization, such as the one you've described to me, could have no enemies."

"We have made some enemies, your majesty."

"I find that hard to believe. What country would see the organization you claim to be as a threat?"

"Not a country, your majesty. The Bratva."

"I beg your pardon."

"The Russian mob."

"Now you're telling a fairy tale. It would benefit us both if you stopped covering up the truth."

"I speak no falsehoods." Nyssa said, "If you do not believe me-"

"I don't." The king interrupted.

Nyssa didn't say anything when he reached down into one of the drawers of the desk and pulled out a manila file folder. Without opening it, Nyssa could see how thick the stack of papers was inside as well as the date on top, a number, and the words 'Top Secret' stamped in red. He opened the folder and flipped through some of the papers until he pulled out a large sheet of photo paper. They could only see the white backing but when the king flipped it around, a photo of some of the league's assassins was shown. It was of the assassins, in uniform, standing out on the runway shortly after the first wave of military arrived. The king pulled out another photo, this time showing the entrance hall and some more assassins, all of them dressed in the classic, black uniform. On the corner of the picture, there was an enlarged portion displaying the golden insignia of the league with the phoenix and sword. He showed them more pictures, some of the assassins, some of the weapons, some of the rooms inside the base, including Zayn's lab.

"Why would I be inclined to believe a word you say when every person in these photos is masked and armed?" The king asked, his tone stern and anger clear. "Now would be the time when you speak with veracity."

* * *

The night hadn't been an easy one to sleep through for Oliver. Nyssa coming home that late did throw him off, but the news she brought took its toll on both him and William. Though William was able to sleep through the night, remembering her promise to him, Oliver had to go through the day with only a few hours. He wanted to be at her side, helping in any way he could, but he knew that it was her fight and that she was clear when she said she could handle it. Again, William believed her, but Oliver still wavered. Any troubles the family was having weren't important anymore. There was still a city to run. Willian didn't make it any harder for him since he had a whole day planned with his own friends. He was out of the house earlier than Oliver. He was happy that William was so carefree, but it was the exact opposite for him and he was only an hour into the workday.

The elevator came to a stop and let out a small ding as the doors opened. Oliver stepped out of them, fishing through his pocket until he found his keycard. He continued walking forward towards the closed doors and the scanned that he pressed his card against. The doors clicked from the other side and he pushed them open. Not to his surprise, members of the security detail were already at their desks and working on their own assignments. Several of them recognized Oliver and greeted him as he made his way towards an office up ahead with a name clearly printed on the nameplate.

Tarren Elorica  
Head of Security Detail

The door was just cracked open, but there was only the white noise of a TV coming from inside. Oliver lightly knocked on the door before pushing it open. Not to his surprise, Tarren sat in a chair behind a desk, writing something on a notepad while continuously glancing back at a tablet propped up on the desk. Off to the side, a TV mounted on the wall was turned to one of the news networks, but it wasn't one he immediately recognized.

"Morning sir!" Tarren greeted.

"You know it's just Oliver." He remined, receiving half of a casual nod from the man, but his attention was drawn towards the disheveled mess of blond hair on his head. "You don't look as sharp as usual."

"Early morning training with some of the teams," Tarren explained. "Does that justify it?"

"Sure."

"So, what are you doing down here?"

"Had to deliver these to you." Oliver set a file in front of Tarren, who opened it and glanced at the papers inside.

"Don't you have an assistant to deliver these for you?" Tarren asked.

"Yeah, but I needed to stretch my legs. Been sitting all morning."

"Fair enough." Tarren closed the file and set it on top of a stack of papers on the corner of his desk. He saw Oliver glancing towards the TV. "Not Star City's news network if you can't already tell."

"Yeah, I got that but where's this coming from?"

"It's international," Tarren said. "Not to be insensitive or anything, but I'd rather here about some worldwide current events in the morning rather than the usual Star City crime rates. They never change these days anyway."

"I don't disagree with you there," Oliver said.

Silence didn't even fall between the two before Tarren picked up the remote from the corner of the desk. "This network's been playing the same story for almost fifteen minutes!"

He quickly started flipping through the channels, clearly not caring that the mayor was watching him. Oliver was also slightly curious about what was going on outside in the world but didn't want to admit it. Being down there was far better than being back in his office reading and signing paperwork.

"I swear all these channels play the same thing," Tarren mumbled.

Oliver barely nodded in reply, but then his attention was taken by a video on the screen. "Wait, go back to that channel." He said quickly.

"Um, okay…"

Tarren flipped back a few channels until he was on the one Oliver pointed out. A woman with pale blonde hair was reviewing a story, but off to the side was a video clip. 'Unknown Visitors to Norwegian Government' was what the headline read.

"You've seen this before or something?" Tarren asked while watching the clip with Oliver, neither of them paying attention to what the anchor was saying. "Seems like it should be a top story."

"No, it really shouldn't."

The camera panned over towards a black, armored car in front of the Norwegian Royal Palace. A man with black hair and a gray suit stepped out of it, followed by a man with brown, almost red, hair in a black suit. The last person was a female with dark brown hair wearing a blazer, but her face couldn't be seen because of the block she had created with her hair.

"You've seen this before?" Tarren asked while watching as the three people walked into the palace.

"You could say that."

"Certainly, an interesting headline. I, for one, am now intrigued." Tarren declared as he went back to reading over what he wrote. "Thank you for that Oliver."

"Yeah, not a problem…." Oliver muttered, "I'll see you around then."

"Sure thing!" Tarren called to him without looking up from his work. "Oh, and Oliver?"

"Yes?"

"If you see Dylan on your way back, tell him that he still owes me ten for the bet."

"Sure."

Oliver barely heard Tarren's thanks as he hurried out of the security division and out the doors that divided the office from the elevator. As soon as he heard the doors lock behind him, he pulled out his phone and went straight to Nyssa's number in the contacts. He pressed the number, held the phone up to his ear, and waited for almost twenty seconds before he got the generic voicemail message.

"Nys, I saw a headline of what's going on. Just…. call me as soon as you're able." He said before finally ending the call.

Even when she explained the situation to him yesterday, it didn't seem like it would be big enough to make international headlines. It only led him to wonder what was really going on in the palace.

* * *

Four hours had gone by where Nyssa, Andrew, and Zayn were all standing before the king. The sun had already set and the lights from the buildings in the distant served as a pleasant reminder that even though the work day was ending, their work day had only just started. Only recently were the three assassins invited to sit down, and that was only when the king felt as thought he was getting the answers he wanted. Nyssa didn't think it was rude or peculiar in any way since she was familiar with similar decisions being made when she was still the heir to the demon.

Andrew, Zayn or Nyssa didn't dare say a word to each other as they waited for their interrogation to resume. They sat on one side of the room while the king was at the other, speaking with some of his advisors and a general that Nyssa recognized from earlier. They occasionally glanced over towards the assassins but didn't pay them any attention for the most part.

"How much longer do you think until we get somewhere with this?" Andrew asked quietly. "Doesn't seem like we'll get anywhere in one night."

"Not in one night, but this is far better than being behind bars," Nyssa said.

"Think they'll let us go back to Finiks Jurf any time soon?" Zayn muttered.

"No, definitely not." Andrew answered, "I just hope Elena's alright."

"They wouldn't harass a pregnant woman…. would they?"

"From what we have already seen, the Norwegians are persistent," Nyssa said. "I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to question her."

"Your plan for getting through this, was this is?" Andrew asked. "Answering the questions truthfully but with some fluff?"

"Would you rather have fluff or risk having the truth be the cause of the league's end?" Nyssa questioned with a stern expression, but it wasn't enough to intimidate Andrew. He had seen it before on several accounts. "We'll keep going with this, no matter how long it takes."

"Who do you think will give up first: You or the king?" Zayn asked.

"Why is that even a question?" Andrew muttered, "You know the answer as well as anyone back home."

Zayn wanted to retaliate but didn't say a word when he saw one of the advisors approaching. It was a taller man, one that sounded like he was closer to the king than some of the others.

"More information regarding your organization has been delivered." He announced to the three, "The king has been generous in giving you the opportunity to explain it truthfully before the general reports his interpretation."

"What sort of information has been gathered?" Nyssa asked.

"Reports of the items found in the area you've identified as the STEM division."

"Good god." Zayn groaned under his breath, but neither the advisor or Nyssa paid him any attention. Instead, he received a glare from Andrew.

"Tell the king that we'd be willing to give him the explanation he's looking for," Nyssa said.

The advisor nodded and walked back to the group on the other side of the room, leaving the three assassins alone in the seating area again.

"For the love of god, they went through my stuff?!" Zayn grumbled. "Unbelievable!"

"You're not hiding anything we should know about, are you?" Andrew asked, "Because now's the time to speak up before Nyssa has to explain anything."

"You know what's there, but now you understand why I want to build another vault?"

"I think I have a pretty good idea."

"Enough talk," Nyssa said as she stood up.

Andrew and Zayn took that as their cue and stood up as well. The three of them walked back towards the desk, where the king sat with his advisors and a stack of folders, all containing reports, photos, and any other information they could gather from Finiks Jurf.

"Where should we start then…" the king grumbled while sorting through the contents of a folder. "How about here?" He pulled out another photo and showed it to the three.

Nyssa recognized the object immediately. "It's a rock."

"This rock was in a vault." The king said. "Why would a rock be in a vault unless it was important somehow."

"Organization keep sake."

For the second time that day, Zayn had to fight back a smile. He and Andrew recognized the rock too; It was the Lazarus stone. He remembered the day clearly when Nyssa had ordered him to lock it away so that no one could access it, so how the Norwegian military found it and cracked the vault did intrigue him.

"Your majesty," Nyssa tried, "In all honestly, that rock holds little significance to anything else in the organization. You would be wasting your time if you kept focusing on the rock."

"And if it's destroyed, you would have no problem with it?"

"It wouldn't be in your best interest."

"And why's that?"

"Because the original founder of the organization holds that rock to great value. It was a family keepsake or sorts."

"And is the original founder still alive?"

"No. He's passed."

The king didn't say anything else as he set the photo down and pulled out another one. Again, the three instantly recognized what it was but they left the talking to Nyssa.

"Nine swords." The king said. "All completely different but locked up together. Explain that to me."

Nyssa remembered those nine swords just as well as anyone in the league. Zayn had tried to replicate the design of the nine original swords but without success. He locked them in a vault to continue later when he had a better understanding of the more spiritual aspect of them.

"I had those made." Nyssa said, "My father collected swords and those nine swords were some of his favorite designs. I locked them in a vault because I couldn't look at them after his passing."

"Fine then." The king picked up another photo from the folder and showed it to the three.

Zayn's jaw almost dropped when he saw what was in the photo, but then the king pulled out another photo, and another.

"Swords with a blade made of a concentrated laser." He said, "Quite a technological advancement. Please explain why you have created something like these."

For the first time that day, Nyssa wasn't able to come up with an immediate answer. She had been with Zayn the day he decided on a place to keep them and she had been there because she explicitly told him that they were dangerous if any outsider found them. They had hidden them in a vault hidden underground so how the military found it and got in further puzzled her.

"They're exactly as they look." Nyssa finally said. Zayn and Andrew both looked over towards her, waiting for the explanation as well. "A technological advancement. Our science division created them in hopes of making it completely stable and beneficial to the user. Once they are perfected, there was a possibility that we would go forward with them and offer select countries the opportunity to manufacture some of the technology; however, we never went forward with said plan because the technology has not been perfected and the possibility of a deadly war sparking with it was incredibly likely."

The king turned to one of his advisors and whispered something that none of the assassins were able to make out. The advisor nodded and stood up from the table along with the others.

"You're to stay in this room. Any move outside would be reported immediately by the guards." The king warned as he too stood up.

The advisors and the king all walked out of the room, much to Nyssa's surprise, and shut the door behind them.

"I'm about to kill someone," Zayn grumbled. "How in the hell are they getting into the vaults?!"

"I have no idea. You tell me!" Andrew shot back. "I thought you and Nyssa hid the last thing better than anything!"

"Someone has to be helping them from the inside! There's no other explanation!" Zayn argued. "Not to mention the fact that when we launched the missile, not even two minutes had passed before we saw the Norwegians! I know for a _fact_ that they wouldn't be able to fly from their base to Finiks Jurf that quickly unless someone tipped them off. And before you even try to tell me otherwise Andrew, we have a team in the tech division dedicated to watching the sky through satellites and before I decided to perform the trial, I told them to tell me if anything came into range. They didn't tell me anything!"

"So, what you're saying is that someone tipped the military off about our location or that someone on _your_ team was purposefully screwing up their job, so we could get caught!"

"Would you two shut the hell up!" Nyssa snapped. "It doesn't matter how the military found us because they did and as much as none of want to admit it, we all knew it was going to happen at some point. That's the downside of Finiks Jurf being less than twenty miles away. If there is someone tipping off the military, then _you_ two," Nyssa said while glaring at both of them. "Are going to find out who as soon as we get back, understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Zayn replied.

"Got it," Andrew mumbled.

"Great, now it would be _wonderful_ if you could try to remember what other projects you have locked up so if we find out they were found, you can properly explain them." Nyssa said.

"There's not much they could do damage with," Zayn said. "Just standard stuff, some things I've tried, a few things from STAR labs, something from some friends in Switzerland, but other than that, there's nothing out of the ordinary."

Nyssa was about to reply, but she heard something scratch up against a wooden door on the other side of the room. The three of them all turned to face it, yet all seemed normal, except the door wasn't closed all the way. Nyssa didn't say a word as she started walking towards the door, Andrew and Zayn staying behind in the middle of the room. She was still walking towards it as silently as she could when the door fully opened. Nyssa stopped in her tracks as an older woman in a sage green dress with long sleeves and a hem that reached her knees stepped inside the room. Her hair was short and gray through the chocolate brown color, but even for her clear aging, she still looked young.

"Pardon me," The woman said. "But I heard you three…. arguing?"

"A friendly disagreement." Nyssa answered, "Nothing overly important."

"Well you see, anything you say is considered of high importance at these times, as you can imagine." The woman replied. "This feels strange without introductions. My name is Anna. I'm going to assume that you're…."

"Nyssa." She replied.

"Ah, and he must be Andrew, "Anna pointed towards Zayn. "And Zayn." Then she pointed towards Andrew.

"Oh god, I don't want to be that short." Andrew chuckled from behind.

This time it was Zayn that glared at Andrew. "Watch it." He warned. It wasn't that he was short. He was actually a good height for a man, but Andrew was extremely tall.

"I apologize. I only over heard names." Anna said. "If you don't mind me asking, how have you been treated so far?"

"I don't believe we should be talking to you," Nyssa said. "The king said specifically that we weren't supposed to speak to the staff."

"Oh, nonsense. He can't do anything." The woman said with a light laugh.

"I'm not familiar with how things work here, but I'm almost certain that he has all the authority."

"No, not when you're speaking to his wife."

"Oh, um…. You're the queen then…."

"Yes, so you don't have anything to worry about in terms of authority." She explained. "As you have probably already seen, this is my husband's work, so I haven't heard much about it. I figured I'd come to the source to find out what was going on."

"Nothing overly interesting if that's what you wanted to know. Just explanation after explanation."

"I see then. I did hear about each of you. Andrew being Greece but there wasn't much after that. I read that you, Zayn, were a graduate of MIT. Very impressive."

"Thank you!" Zayn said from the back, and Anna smiled back at him.

"But I was most impressed with you." She said, now looking at Nyssa.

"I'm sorry?"

"A wife, a mother, and a leader of whatever this organization is," Anna said. "Now I know what my husband thinks, that you don't say who you really are. I believe his opinion is irrelevant. I don't know what you do specifically, but I can't imagine that a mother would do something like hurt people."

"You're right," Nyssa admitted. "Hurting people is not the goal of the organization."

"If you don't mind me asking, then what is?"

Nyssa turned her head over her shoulder and looked back at Zayn and Andrew before turning back to Anna. "We've never really defined it as a clear mission," She started, "But it's always been dedicated to stopping any threat that had the potential to cause harm to someone or a group."

"Have you carried through with this mission in the time you've been the leader?"

"Yes. There have been a few times when it's strayed off, but it's never caused harm."

"I'm sorry." Anna said, "We've all been referring to it as the organization, but does it have a name? Does the base have a name?"

"Finiks Jurf."

"What does that mean, if you don't mind me asking?"

"It translates to Phoenix Cliff from Arabic. As for the name of the organization…. we always called it the Phoenix League."

"Interesting choice of name, I will say."

"If you don't mind me asking," Nyssa began, "Are you here to gather information for your husband. If so, you're doing a very good job."

"Oh no. I haven't heard anything about what's going on other than some of the basic things. I wanted to find out for myself." Anna answered, "Is it alright if I ask something else?"

"I suppose."

"How do you do it exactly?" She asked, and Nyssa gave her a confused look. "To run an organization as large as it is, how do you find time to get back to your husband….and son? I know your husband is mayor of a city in the United States, so I can't imagine that they live with you at Finiks Jurf."

"No, they don't." Nyssa replied, "I've been fortunate enough to balance my life out, so I can run the league and stay loyal to my family."

"I can't imagine that it's an easy thing to keep up with. All that flying would drive me crazy!" Anna laughed, and Nyssa smiled. There was something about the queen that seemed more genuine than the king and his advisors like she was more interested in her as a person rather than as a trespasser. "If you don't mind me asking, what is your son's name?"

"His name's William," Nyssa answered.

"Oh, he sounds like a smart boy. And a handsome one too, if he got his mother's looks." She said, and Nyssa couldn't help but smile again. "How old is he?"

"Fourteen."

"Oh, a teenager too! Wait until they get older and they're enjoying more adult things. Even with my children and the protocol they had to follow, they were still a handful."

"How many children do you have?"

"Two sons and a daughter. They're all grown up, but they're still my babies."

"Rightfully so."

"Hey!" Zayn called, grabbing the two women's attention. "You should include Andrew in your conversation. He's going to be a father in a few months after all."

"Oh, congratulations!" Anna exclaimed. "When is the baby due?"

"Babies, and late April," Andrew said.

"Twins?"

"Yeah, a boy and girl."

"Oh, you're in for a handful!" Anna laughed but it wasn't at him, but at all the memories she had of her own children. "But I think you can handle it if these two are willing to help."

"Oh definitely." Nyssa smiled while looking back at Andrew. "I think we already have that covered."

"That's what you think now," Anna said as she walked over towards the large desk, but then walked behind it and to the shelves where some framed photos were displayed. Nyssa, Zayn, and Andrew all followed her, and she showed them the framed photo of three young children, all standing in a field covered in mud. "They get to be a handful when you least expect it."

"Any tips for the future father?" Zayn asked.

"Be prepared for _anything_ because you never know, and it's nearly impossible to predict," Anna said. "But you'll love every minute of it. When they're all grown up, you'll want to go back to the days when they would run around and play tag with one another."

"I guess for now I should just start preparing then," Andrew said. "Still have a long way to go but I know there's more I need to do."

"Those months will fly by, just you wait," Anna said, then turned to Nyssa. "And I'm sure you can back me up on this."

"Um, no actually," Nyssa said, getting a strange look from Anna. "I married Oliver less than a year ago and William had recently turned fourteen at the time of the wedding."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry for the mistake."

"No harm was done."

"Are you and your husband ever going to have another child?"

"I-um…." Nyssa stammered. Zayn and Andrew both looked at each other before looking towards Nyssa, also looking for an answer to the question. "I don't know."

"Well if you do, just be prepared. That's the most you can do." Anna said as she turned towards Zayn. "Do you have a child I should know about?"

"Oh, no no no," Zayn said quickly with a small chuckle. "Single man over here and not planning on a change anytime soon."

Andrew leaned towards Anna with a smirk on his face. "But I think we all know that he's trying to find a future partner if you know what I mean."

"Oh perfectly," Anna whispered back. "I hope he-"

Anna didn't get to finish her thought before the window behind them shattered and Andrew cried out in pain before stumbling forward. Nyssa immediately looked towards the window before a gunshot rang out and a bullet flew into the room. Acting on instinct, she pushed Anna down on the ground behind the desk. Zayn pushed Andrew down as well behind one of the couches, but still in Nyssa's view as she crouched down next to the queen. Another bullet flew into the room and hit the wall, piercing a hole through the buttermilk-colored walls.

"Nyssa!" Zayn shouted over the sound of another gunshot. "Andrew's been hit!"

"How bad?" She shouted back.

"I've been through worse!" Andrew shouted back. "It's a flesh wound!"

Nyssa rolled her eyes but stopped when another bullet flew into the room. "Zayn?"

"It's on the back of his shoulder."

"What's going on?!" Anna stammered with wide eyes. "Are we-"

"Nyssa!" Andrew shouted. "It's definitely a sniper!"

"No shit!" She shouted back.

The double doors to the room burst open and two guards rushed into the room. They only had to look around for a moment before they saw Zayn and Andrew crouched behind a couch, but more importantly, the queen crouched behind the desk with Nyssa. One of them tried to run to that side of the room, but as soon as he crossed into the firing path, another shot was fired. The bullet sailed into the room and struck the guard on the side, sending him to the ground. Anna screamed, making Nyssa flinch at the high-pitched noise. The other guard looked towards the shattered window and tried to run towards Anna but like the first guard, he was struck down as soon as he stepped into range.

"Zayn!" Nyssa shouted. "Be my eyes! What can you see!"

Zayn backed away from Andrew and peeked his head over the back of the couch, but instantly sat down right before another shot rang out.

"I don't know! I can't see shit from here! Not to mention the risk of getting my head blown off!"

Nyssa sat back down on the ground next to the queen and looked over towards her. "Anna-"

"T-Tell me what's going on?" She demanded through a trembling voice. "This isn't one of y-your men, is it?"

"No, no of course not," Nyssa answered while trying to stay as calm as possible.

"W-What do we do? Y-You know how to take care of something like this…. R-Right?"

Nyssa didn't answer her. Instead, she pulled her phone out from her pocket. One missed call from Oliver. It would have to wait. She flipped to the phone's camera and as soon as the picture sharpened, she slowly reached her hand out from behind the desk's protection. While the phone was still hanging out in the open, she began to zoom in until the picture was focused on the shattered window. Even from her awkward position, she could make out the buildings on the screen. Nothing looked out of sorts, but then another shot rang out. Nyssa instantly pulled her hand back, just missing the bullet before it buried itself in the wooden floor a few feet away.

"Did you see anything?" Zayn called.

"Yeah, I think I know where it's coming from!" She called back.

"But how-" Zayn began, but then stopped himself when he realized what she was going to do. "You can't be serious! You're not going to do it!"

"Do you see anyone else doing something to stop this!?" Nyssa shouted back before another bullet flew into the room and hit a vase. "We're out of options Zayn!"

"There's always another option!"

"We're out of time!"

Zayn shouted something else at her, this time it being more of an angry plea. She didn't hear him as she looked around the other side of the desk. It seemed like a clear shot, but even she knew it was risky. That's why she didn't hesitate to run. Nyssa instantly stood up and darted towards the next area of cover, but more gunshots followed her. Between Anna's screaming and Zayn's shouting, she almost didn't hear them. Another shot rang out, but it got too close for comfort and zipped past her arm. She immediately dove down to the floor, behind one of the chairs that they'd been sitting in earlier. In her position, she could now see Zayn and Andrew perfectly, as well as Andrew's blazer with a large patch of blood on the back of the shoulder.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Zayn said so only she and Andrew could hear him.

"What makes you think I wouldn't?" Nyssa asked, but before Zayn could reply, she stood back up and ran closer to the window.

More gunshots rang out and she ran faster until she was on the side of the room. She put herself in a corner so there was no way a bullet could hit her unless there was a second shooter. It seemed likely, but she hadn't been shot yet and that was a good sign. Nyssa crouched down lower, so there was no possible way Anna could see her. She was hesitant but seeing as there was no one else doing anything to stop it or get them out of the room, she didn't see another option. It was either wait and be killed or take the initiative, even if the initiative meant revealing a secret that she'd tried to keep hidden since the whole thing began.


	42. A Traitor Among Us

Another shot rang out. A sharp whistle came before a thud, and the wall gained another hole. Zayn picked his head back up and looked around the room; Andrew was still crouched by his side, clutching the back of his shoulder where he had been shot while Anna was hiding behind the desk where Nyssa left her. Nyssa. Zayn looked back around the couch and frantically scanned the room for her, but he didn't see anything at first. He lowered his gaze a few feet and almost immediately, he saw Nyssa crouched down near the corner of the shattered window with an arrow nocked, and her league uniform on.

 _She did it. She actually did it._ Zayn thought. Part of him had hoped she was kidding or that she'd find another way to address the current situation, because now if things went further south, any hope of keeping Finks Jurf would be lost.

There was shouting in the corridors outside the room, but inside, it was completely silent. Nyssa kept her eyes on the window and anything she could see outside from her low position. There were only skies and rooftops, none of them being where the shooter was. Her gaze was torn away when from the corner of her eye, she saw Zayn staring at her. Any attention she had on him was quickly taken by another's gaze on her: Anna. The queen's stare wasn't filled with astonishment, but fear. Nyssa tried to look at her but forced herself to look away and back towards the window. It was still silent.

As quietly as she could, Nyssa further back on the drawstring of her bow and held it in place. Her angle was different than before, but from her phone's camera, she still remembered just about where the shots were coming from. Before she could give herself a chance to hesitate, Nyssa whipped around in front of the window and fired an arrow straight at the roof where the gunshots were coming from. The arrow had just been released when another barrage of bullets forced her to jump down to the floor. Anna and Zayn crouched down even further, and after a few seconds, it was silent again.

Zayn picked his head up as soon as the barrage ended and looked back towards Anna, who was still shaking, then towards Nyssa, who was reaching for her bow. "Do you know where he is?" Zayn said in almost a whisper.

Nyssa looked towards Zayn and pulled down the mask over her mouth and nose. "Across the courtyards to the north," She replied, "About 800 feet, but it is nearly impossible to get a clean shot from here."

"So, what do you want to do?"

"I need to get on the roof."

"For the love of god, Nyssa are you insane?!"

"There is no other way! I refuse to wait in here and wait for us all to be shot down while waiting for assistance."

"Well by now there's got to be members of the military already on this!"

"Would you prefer to wait around to see how long they take?" Nyssa asked, "Stay here with Andrew and Anna. If anything happens, you know how to tell me."

"What are you going to do, huh!? Just wait until there's an opening and risk running to the door!?"

"You and I both know that dodging bullets is more than possible."

"This is a fucking sniper! He sees everything we do!"

"When I tell you that I am going on the roof, you don't tell me otherwise." Nyssa growled, "This is what we have to work with. Unless you have a better plan that doesn't involve waiting for assistance, this conversation is over."

"You'll be shot for sure," Zayn mumbled, but Nyssa paid him no attention.

She stood up and immediately pressed her back up against the wall. It was still silent. From what she had seen, there was only one sniper who didn't have a clean shot of the side walls; only the one in the back, where the door that led to the corridor was. There wasn't going to be another moment that was safer, so Nyssa started stepping closer towards the door while keeping her back against the wall. Occasionally, the hilt of her sword tapped the drywall, and every time, she froze for a moment to make sure another shot wasn't taken. Unfortunately, the room was long, and there were several obstacles against the wall, including getting past the desk where Anna was still hiding. Nyssa kept every step as silent as possible as she walked behind it, yet Anna still watched her. The queen opened her mouth to say something, but before she could even form the word, the assassin scowled down at her. It was more effective than she anticipated originally, and the queen took the hint.

Only a minute had passed before Nyssa had reached the other side of the room. All that was left to do was make it across the firing range. She briefly looked towards the back of the couch, where Zayn and Andrew were both crouched and staring at her. Zayn looked back around the couch before turning back towards her and giving a quick nod. Nyssa still waited, almost fifteen seconds before getting off the wall. She sprinted towards the door and just before she was in arm's length, another shot rang out, and she fell to the ground.

"Nyssa!" Zayn shouted, but another shot rang out, this time hitting a few inches away from the doorframe. "Goddammit!"

"I'm fine!" Nyssa groaned before coughing. "The shooter, I saw where he is." She saw that Zayn was about to say something but didn't pay him any attention as she plucked the bullet from where it had been fired at her chest. "The Kevlar held." While still on the ground to avoid being shot at again, Nyssa threw the bullet across the room towards Zayn, who caught it before it could hit him.

Andrew looked towards Zayn, who was examining the bullet but was still silent. "It's a Winchester!" Andrew called. "My guess would be a .308, one commonly used for long-range firing. It's used in the military!"

"Winchester?" Zayn questioned, "Nyssa that has a range of over three miles!"

"The Kevlar will hold." She replied.

"Not for as long as you're thinking!"

Nyssa rolled her eyes as she pushed herself closer to the door. No shot was taken. She reached up towards the door handle and was just able to reach it with the tip of her fingers. As fast as she could, Nyssa opened the door, jumped out into the corridor, slammed it shut and pushed herself up against the wall just as another stream of bullets pounded against the other side of the door.

She waited a moment before standing back up, still keeping her back against the wall. Without giving herself a chance to hesitate, Nyssa ran past the door and down the corridor towards one of the staircases. She ran up it and through several other corridors until she saw a room with an open door. Nyssa ran inside and past the regal furniture until she reached one of the windows. She unlatched the top and slid it up, letting a bitter breeze into the room. Only a quick glance down let Nyssa see how high up she had gotten, but it didn't stop her from what she intended to do. While leaning down to avoid hitting her head, Nyssa sat down in the window sill and put her weight on her heels to anchor herself. Nyssa nocked an arrow, leaned back, and aimed up towards the roof. She felt the distribution of her weight shifting, so she quickly fired the arrow and watched it sail up and onto the roof, leaving a trail in the form of a cable. She felt a tug when the cable tightened so before the arrow had a chance to lose the hold it had on whatever it had been shot into, Nyssa began to retract it, pulling herself out of the window. She watched the ground get further away from below her as well as the castle guards looking up at her and barking orders at one another. They looked as if they were going to attack, but Nyssa didn't get to see their next move before she planted her feet on the roof.

To her advantage, the roof was flat, and although it was a bit slick from the previous rainfall, it didn't prove to be a large problem. Nyssa walked towards her arrow, which had impeded itself at her feet, pulled it out and tossed it to the ground without a second thought. She kept herself low as she hurried towards the other side of the roof, where she would have a clear view of the shooter. By the time she got to the other side, it was still silent. He hadn't seen her, but he was still waiting. Nyssa crouched down by the railing and peeked over the edge, keeping her eyes on the area where she believed he was. For the first time that day, she silently hoped that he would fire again. Her wish wasn't addressed.

With no other options, Nyssa nocked another arrow and aimed it towards the shooter's location. Several parts of the roof jetted upwards that could have blocked him from her shot, but at least he would shoot again. She gave it her best guess, then fired. Her black arrow sailed through the air and out of sight in seconds. Another second later, a shot rang out, but it was aimed towards the roof. Nyssa ducked down and out of range before a bullet had a chance to hit her. It pierced the area where she had just been standing, but it didn't stop her from looking back over the edge. It paid off because, for the first time, she saw a brief flash of light from the roof she had aimed towards. She was right.

Nyssa ducked down again but instead of preparing to look back up, she began to push herself away from the railing, and when she was certain she wasn't in range, she stood up. There had only been a handful of times when she had done what she was planning, but it was either this or let him keep taking shots. Without a second thought, Nyssa started running straight towards the railing she had just been trying to get away from. Shots were fired, and she had to zig-zag to avoid them. Nyssa wasn't even halfway away from the railing when a flurry of flames materialized from nothing, but she didn't stop. She let them wrap around her until her feet didn't even touch the roof.

* * *

He looked through the scope of his rifle and continued to apply pressure to the trigger. The stock of the military grade rifle continued to press into the soft of his shoulder as the hammer hit the bullet out of its case. As soon as he accepted his task, he made sure that he had all his best equipment with him. Everything from the military grade rifle to the brand of the bullet had been taken into careful consideration, and now it was paying off. They picked him because he was one of the best, but once he returned with the job completed, he'd be the best.

Whomever, the figure on the roof, was skilled when it came to dodging, but they wouldn't be able to keep it up for long. Everyone would meet their end at some point, just some faster than others. This was their day to go. He kept his focus on his target through his scope but wasn't able to aim properly before having to fire again. Several shots ended up being avoided, but it was fine. He kept firing towards them, knowing that the closer they got, the bigger target they became.

 _They're still running._ He thought with a smirk. _What a fucking retard. They don't even have a gun. Only a hunting bow. Who are they, Robin Hood? The Star City vigilante's cousin? A time traveler? This will be easy. Too easy. Simply a waste of time._

He was about to fire again, but he stopped when his line of sight was blurred by a flurry of flames. He pulled back from the scope with a raised eyebrow before looking back through it.

 _What the fuck is going on…_

The castle roof was where his attention was fixated when a very faint tap came from behind him. He immediately pulled back and grabbed the pistol that had been holstered at his hip. He whipped around and pointed it at nothing. No one was there.

 _Of all the days it had to rain, today's the fucking day._ He thought as his eyebrows furrowed. _What a nightmare._

He began to turn back to his rifle, but before he situated himself, he jumped up from where he had been on his stomach and pressed his back up against one of the parts of the roof that jetted up. He began to circle the roof, keeping his pistol at the ready and close to his chest as he walked. The only sounds were the castle guard barking orders at each other and the sounds of traffic below. All was normal. He continued to walk with caution, never letting his back be to any angle as he stepped in a circle like a pattern. This was no mistake. Someone was watching him, and he knew it. He had his guts, and those had been through plenty of circumstances just like this.

He continued to walk, but then he heard another tap, this time from behind him. He whipped around, but no one was there. Another tap, to his right, then the left. He continued to watch every angle, but he still couldn't find the source of the tapping. Sure, there were the parts of the roof that jetted up, but he would have seen someone by now.

While he was still walking, a sharp whistle came from behind him, but before he could react, an eruption of shock and sharpness flooded his back. He stumbled forward as he cried out and reached to the source. An arrow. No amount of training could have prepared him to pull out a black and gold arrow from his back. He threw the arrow to the ground and continued to walk, although slightly hunched over now.

"Whomever the hell you are," He said to the air, "You've just made the biggest mistake."

"On the contrary."

A voice. He couldn't place it. It sounded like a man, but there was a lightness, a warmth, to it, almost like a female. No, it had to be a man. That's who would have come after him, but then he changed his thinking.

 _God dammit…_

He knew who it was.

He took one more step forward, then stopped and fired a shot towards one of the jetted parts of the roof. He took another shot, then another, but it didn't have the desired effect. No one emerged.

There was a footstep behind him, and he whipped around, only to be greeted by a hard punch to the jaw. He stumbled back, clutching his throbbing jaw as he stared up at the source. An assassin, _the_ assassin, dressed in dark gray accented with gold. The bow held at their side along with the sword and quiver on their back was all he needed to see. This wasn't part of the plan. This was supposed to go smoothly. That's what he was told; that this wouldn't be an issue.

Nothing was said before the man lunged towards the assassin and tried to punch them, but they twisted out of the way and put themselves in a position that was perfect to knee him in the stomach. He stumbled back again, but he didn't want to play around any longer. He raised his gun and fired it, but the assassin jumped out of the way and hid behind part of the roof. Slowly, he approached the part of the roof that they had hidden behind, but as soon as he jumped out and fired, expecting it to hit them, they were gone.

"You missed."

He whipped around towards the voice just in time to be met by an arrow to the chest. It hit him, and he felt nothing at first, but still fell backward to the ground. He looked towards the arrow and was still surprised to see it sticking out of his chest, but his attention was diverted towards their shadow above him. They pointed a nocked arrow straight at his neck and planted a foot on his chest.

The man froze and let them believe that they had won. He relaxed, trying to signify that he wasn't going to try anything. It didn't work. They didn't lower their guard. Even from the ground, he could see part of their face that wasn't covered by the dark gray hood or the black mask pulled over their mouth and nose. The dark eyes are what caught his attention. They seemed black, but he could see the brown. What did catch his attention was the softness of the assassin's face. Nothing manly about it.

 _Well shit._ He thought. _Who knew a woman would come to fight?_

She was still looming over him when he felt the small pistol against his side. He knew she would see him if he tried doing a slow movement, so as fast as he could, he pulled the gun, pointed at her, and fired. Like he had planned, she stumbled backward and back behind part of the roof.

"No one can avoid a bullet for that long!" He said with a chuckle as he stood up from the ground. "And you, _you_ of all people should know-"

Before he could finish, she jumped out from behind the roof and what happened next defied everything he had come to believe in. Fire materialized in front of her and came hurling towards him. It had enough power to knock him back a few feet before he tumbled to the ground. His entire chest was hot, and he felt as though his lungs were on fire, but he had just enough time to roll to his side to avoid another blast.

"You fucking witch!" He shouted, "Cult magic!"

Again, he pulled out a pistol and took another shot at her, but his bullet disappeared in a flurry of flames between him and her. Out of the flurry, she came running towards him and before he had time to react, she kicked his side, sending him further back and against a wall. His head slammed against the bricks behind him, and things began to grow fuzzy. It felt as though only a split second passed by before he found himself being pulled to his feet by the collar of his black, leather jacket. He looked up towards the woman, who still held him up with one hand while keeping a knife to his throat with the other.

"Well look at this," He said with a light chuckle, "The witch won by cheating."

It was the last thing he said before everything went dark.

* * *

"Well look at this," The unmasked shooter said with a light chuckle, "The witch won by cheating."

Nyssa didn't let him say anything else before she slammed his head against the brick wall. He was knocked out immediately, and some blood trickled from a fresh wound on the side of his head. She pulled out her black, leather gloves from a pocket on the inside of her outer jacket and pulled them back over her hands. Every moment of that fight was a struggle, and Nyssa was more than thankful that it was finally over.

She reached down and found a total of four guns on his person that she tossed to the other side of the roof before walking towards the spot where he had his rifle set up. It was an advanced setup, military-influenced no doubt. Next to the riffle was a large, black duffle bag. It wasn't curiosity that drew her towards it, but the simple necessity of seeing what was inside. There was almost nothing really: a ski mask that must have been for later, some more guns, ammunition, some food, water, a map, a satellite phone, and a remote com system. The last item was the most intriguing, but when Nyssa examined it further, she discovered it to be deactivated and broken.

Nyssa looked back towards the shooter, but more particularly his face. Dark brown hair shaved down, so it was barley a centimeter thick, light stubble, and a tall, muscular build. She did not doubt that at one point or another, he was part of the military, but what military was still a question to her. His accent had to be a mix of at least three. However, none of that was important to her right then. All she wanted to do was go back to Finiks Jurf, but there was a political mess waiting for her back in the palace.

* * *

The palace was filled with military personnel, several of them being ones Nyssa recognized from the runway earlier that day. Almost all of them gave her strange looks as she walked through the corridors and back towards the room where she had left Zayn and Andrew. It didn't bother her, to a degree. There was nothing to hide any longer. They knew almost everything.

Less than two minutes after she had contacted Zayn with news of the shooter, helicopters were hovering above the roof. The men aboard had taken care of the shooter and all things related to him. The only thing Nyssa needed back from them was a ride, and they delivered.

The doors to the room were open and flooded with members of the police and military, as well as a few medics. It was already dark outside, so all the lights inside had been turned on but also cast the looming shadows of all the people across the walls, making the normally large corridors feel as though they were closing in. She pushed past a few men and to her delight, she only had to peek her head inside to see Zayn and Andrew on the other side of the room, talking to one of the medics. She had barely taken a few steps in the room when Zayn saw her and hurried towards her.

"Thank god you weren't shot," Zayn said as he came to a stop in front of her.

"I told you; the Kevlar would hold."

"Guess so…" Zayn muttered, "Uh, Andrew's getting the GSW addressed but…. I saw the fire."

"The better question is who didn't," Nyssa mumbled.

"Are you sure that was the best idea?"

"It was the only option. Where's the queen?"

"She was the first helped out of the room by a fleet of guards. Speaking of guards, just thought you'd like to know, but those two that had been shot were taken to a hospital. From what I heard, they were listed in critical, but it sounded like they were going to pull through."

"Good."

"And, uh, you're still wearing your…. league stuff…," Zayn said while looking at her head to toe. "I thought that was supposed to stay on the down low."

"That was what I had planned originally. Things did not go as planned, as you can tell."

"All right, but um-"

"Nyssa Queen!" A man called from across the room. Zayn and Nyssa both looked towards the man dressed in a tuxedo that was making his way towards him. "Your presence is needed."

"By whom?" She inquired.

"The king."

"Damn," Zayn muttered, "Come back alive, will you?"

"Hysterical." Nyssa groaned.

She didn't say a word to the man as she was led through the crowds of responders and up to the second level of the castle, which, unlike the previous one, was almost completely deserted. The man led her towards one of the rooms with large, wooden doors. He knocked on them twice before pushing one of them opening and stepping inside.

"Your majesty," He began, "Nyssa Queen."

The king looked up from his work, straight at the man. "Thank you, Rasmus."

The man nodded once before turning around and closing the door as soon as he left the room, leaving Nyssa alone with the king. She stood in silence, but he only stared.

"The three most influential figures in an off-book organization on Norwegian territory come to the capital, even though we know you have weapons, and a shooter attack." The king said, never removing his glare from Nyssa. "Convincing me that this wasn't your idea would be pointless."

"Your majesty, with all due respect-"

"I don't need your respect any longer. A conclusion regarding a negotiation has already been made; no such arrangement will be made. The land will be reposed and those that were found on the premise will be incarcerated and will go through a brief trial." As soon as he finished saying that, the doors behind Nyssa opened and two men, each with a muscular build and a black suit, walked into the room and stood behind her for a brief moment before grabbing her arms. "Any attempts to retaliate will be used against all those who are associated with the operations."

Nyssa tried to pull away from the grip the security guards had on her arms, but their grip only strengthened. "You're making a mistake-"

The king's eyebrows furrowed as his glare harshened. "I don't believe I am, and for this, my country will be better, safer." He growled.

"My men di-"

"Eirik?" The king's gazed shifted toward the side of the room, where the call came from. There in the doorway stood Anna, trying to make sense of the scene before her. "What is this?"

"It was a mistake bringing these _barbarians_ here. I knew problems would cause, my advisors warned me, and the military, but I didn't listen to them, and because of it, you were attacked." The king replied as Anna stepped towards the side of his desk, but his gaze shifted back to Nyssa. "This happened because of her-"

"That's not true."

"Anna, you're mistaken. She-"

"I know exactly what she did. I was in the room with her." Anna expressed defensively, "What are you accusing her and-" She stopped, and her eyes narrowed. "You think they were the cause of the shooting."

"Without a shadow of a doubt."

"She's innocent."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me Eirik. She's _innocent_." Anna restated, "I was there in the room with her when it happened. They were just as surprised as I was, but they fought against the shooter."

"They may have fought against the shooter but how do I not know that they were the ones that called the attack?"

"You've done you're reading on each person that came here today. You know that Mr. Rivétt was a graduate of MIT, but you didn't know that he's the one who invented all those fantastic things the military uncovered. You know that Mr. Tsaoussis is from a Greek island, but you didn't know that he's going to be a father soon, or that he's the one that took the bullet for me. Moreover, you know Mrs. Queen as the leader of them, but I also know that you know she's a mother. You're a father, and you've been through the experience of raising children. You know what it's like to act as an influencer to them so ask yourself; would a mother have hired a shooter to kill me? Would say mother has hired the shooter, only to be the one to take several bullets and risk death to stop them from hurting anyone else?"

The king was silent. He continued to stare at Anna, letting the silence pass between them for several moments. Anna never broke her stare. "Mother or not, you were still attacked-"

"Yes, I was, but she was the one that saved us. If we had waited for the responders to deal with the shooter, I wouldn't be standing here right now." Anna declared before turning towards Nyssa. "Did you recruit a man to harm me or anyone else associated with the Norwegian authority?" Nyssa shook her head once. "Release her."

"Anna-"

"Eirik, I know what happened. She's innocent, and so are her people." Anna said as the guards released their grip on Nyssa's arms, "And think about this logically; you imprison her, you imprison the other leaders, but you'd never be able to imprison everyone involved with the operations, and they're loyal. By incarcerating the leader, you're condemning us to a miniature war that's out of the leaders' control once they're separated from the group. You and I both know that they're skilled, and just from what we've seen, they have the resources to lead such a war and wouldn't stop until they get what they want."

"Anna, this doesn't answer anything. This doesn't tell us who the shooter was, what his motives are, or the group he was leading the attack for."

"Eirik, do you trust me?"

"With my life, if I had to."

"Then trust me on this. She's innocent. She's the one you want to have an alliance with, not a conflict."

A long period of silence passed by of Anna waiting for her husband's answer, and Nyssa standing with the security guards, waiting to hear if the king would believe his wife.

"Okay…" He said, finally breaking the silence. "It's open for discussion."

Anna muttered something to Eirik, and although Nyssa's Norwegian wasn't perfect, she roughly translated it to a thank you. The queen turned back towards Nyssa, this time looking at her with a much more formal appearance. "By my husband agreeing to this, its expected that you answer any question fully and truthfully."

"I understand," Nyssa replied.

"Very well then," Eirik said, straightening his posture in his seat before waving the security guards off. They left the room promptly, leaving the two royals and the assassin alone. Nyssa kept her gaze straight ahead, only for the sake of professionality. "Mrs. Queen, can you describe what the exact purpose of your organization is?"

Normally, she would have wavered and hesitated to give the full story, but this time was different. This time it seemed like it was what needed to be done. Otherwise, they'd be going in more circles. "We call ourselves the Phoenix League," Nyssa began, "Though this version of the league has been founded for only less than a year, the history of the league dates back to 1013. In 2016, I disbanded the ancient league in hopes of creating a better future for its members, but fragments of it remained and took refuge in the original location. For some time, I stayed there with my father and some recruits and silently, we continued the traditions of the league until we decided that it was time to make the league into something new, something honorable, with a clean slate. Following ancient league texts, I went after nine relics and used them to create the new league on the sacred grounds, Finiks Jurf, or the fjord that we've built up. Handpicked leaders and I have run the league successfully and silently throughout the months with the sole purpose of silently maintaining order in countries and civilizations where political structure is collapsing. The original league existed to turn evil into death, but now we refine the same corruptions and only use violence as a last resort."

And the negotiations began.

* * *

Oliver loved his role as the mayor. He loved the thriller of solving a problem, the satisfaction from seeing someone's problem is resolved, and he even enjoyed press conferences so that he could catch up with what the media believed was going on. Unfortunately for him, none of that was on the schedule. Today, his schedule was occupied with reviewing a proposal to remodel a portion of the Glades that still hadn't seen any attention after the Undertaking and the Siege and reading over proposals from several different departments. Reading was never an area of interest, so he focused on the architectural proposal.

While he was still focused on his task, there was a light knock on the door before it opened. Oliver looked up, expecting to see Natalie, Rene, or even Quentin, but was surprised to see Tarren walking in.

"Isn't it a bit early for you to be asking for lunch money?" Oliver asked with a nearly straight face.

"Ha-ha very funny, but this is serious," Tarren said as he shut the door behind him, and only then did Oliver see the tablet he was carrying. "You'll want to hear this."

Tarren passed Oliver the tablet, which had a paused clip from the international news pulled up. "You were interested in what was going on in Norway, and when I saw this, I thought it would be best to let you know." The head of security said, "Do you have family in Oslo?"

Oliver didn't reply before pressing play on the video. After only a few seconds of the anchor talking, amateur footage was shown just outside the Norwegian castle.

 _Details are coming in slowly, but the shooting reported at 4:37 this evening may have been one of the most direct attacks on the crown to date. The shooter, who has yet to be identified, was located on top of a roof less than 250 meters away from the north side of the castle. The military was able to address the threat, preventing more casualties, but many are still being reported. Responders say that they wouldn't know the motivation of the attacker, but that he was aiming to harm the crown or the visitors that arrived at the castle less than five hours._

"Can you believe it?" Tarren asked as the footage still rolled, "Some visitors from an unknown country come to the castle and then there's a shooting. They have to be related."

Oliver shoved the tablet back towards Tarren and immediately pulled his phone out of his pocket. He quickly dialed Nyssa's number and held the phone up to his ear as he waited.

"C'mon, pick up…" He muttered, but after a few seconds, he got her voicemail. "Nys, as soon as you get this, call me." He said before hanging up.

"What was that?" Tarren inquired. "What's up with Nyssa?"

"She's in Oslo right now."

"But the shooting was at the castle, so she should have been-" Tarren began, but then stopped. "She was that brunette we saw earlier then…"

"That was her."

"What the hell is she doing there!? Why is she meeting the king?!"

"League stuff."

"Well damn, I was not expecting that…" Tarren murmured, "She's probably fine. We both know her. She would have fought her way out of it."

"MmHmm…"

"I guess I'll let you get back to work then." He said as he turned around and walked towards the door. Tarren opened it, and before closing it behind him, he took one final looked towards Oliver, who was back to reading.

As soon as the door shut, Oliver stopped reading and pulled his phone back out. He did everything he could; send a text, an email, and called two more times. She didn't answer anything, and immediately his mind was flooded with questions begging for answers, but it wasn't the questions that prevented him from getting back to work. It was dread.

* * *

He drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair, staring impatiently at the grandfather clock on the wall across. Almost three hours had passed since Nyssa had been escorted to meet with the king, and it left her fellow leaders waiting without an answer. From the corner of his eye, Zayn could see Andrew on the couch with his head leaning back, seemingly asleep. His jacket had been discarded on the other side of the couch near a newspaper, and an ice pack rested across his shoulder on top of a gauze wrap.

Zayn uncrossed and crossed his legs again and began to tape his foot but not even fifteen seconds later, he was hit upside the head with a crumpled ball of paper. He picked it up and looked towards Andrew, who looked unmoved, but he knew it was him who threw the paper. How he didn't hear him rip or crumple of the paper puzzled him, but he just ignored it and went back to staring.

Another half hour passed without a word exchanged between the two. Again, Zayn readjusted his posture and felt the urge to tap his foot, but knowing it bothered Andrew, he didn't. There was no reason to cause a problem. With the only sound being the ticking of the clock and occasional chime, both Zayn and Andrew jumped when the door to the room opened, and Nyssa walked in.

Zayn immediately stood up from the chair and looked towards her. "Nyssa," She didn't reply before collapsing in the chair across from Zayn and pinching the bridge of her nose. "What's going on? You've been gone for so long. We thought something went wrong."

"It might as well have." She muttered without looking up towards him. By now, Andrew was sitting up straight and watching both of them.

"What do you mean you might as well have?" Zayn asked with a raised eyebrow, "Nyssa, what happened?"

"Eirik was going to incarcerate everyone associated with the league, but Anna stepped in and convinced him otherwise. She facilitated negotiations for the past few hours until we agreed if you would even call it by such a name."

"Any agreement is better than no agreement."

"Not this time."

"Why?" Andrew asked, receiving a brief glance from Nyssa and the faintest of smiles as if she was saying she was glad he was doing better. "What's so wrong with it?"

"I did what I could to change the terms, but he is dead set. He said he had already been swayed enough today and that these were his terms. If we do not accept, we are to surrender Finiks Jurf in the next 30 days." Nyssa said.

"You're making this sound worse than it could be," Zayn stated. "It may not be as bad as you're thinking."

"Zayn," Nyssa said plainly, finally making eye contact with him. "Finiks Jurf is located in the Vesterålen Archipelago, and if we did not have outposts set up across the rest of the area, we could have just bought rights to the single fjord. Because that is not the case, he wants us to buy rights, or access, to the entire archipelago." She paused and looked away briefly. "It would cost the league 179, 839, 000, 000 krone."

"That…doesn't seem so bad." Zayn mumbled, "I mean, there's more krone in a US dollar so we should be fine. What are we talking about, a couple million?"

"22 Billion."

All sound in the room died; even the ticking of the grandfather clock seemed to have disappeared. Andrew's eyes had grown wide, and Zayn had put both hands over his face and dragged them down before looking back towards Nyssa.

"Are you _sure_ it was that much?" He asked, "That's insane."

"Zayn, it's over 3100 square kilometers. It could have been much worse."

"Well, I can tell you from just off the top of my head that the league doesn't nearly have that much money just lying around! We can't afford this! The entire structure will collapse, and we won't have enough funds to cover just the basic needs!"

"I proposed scheduled payments, once a month."

"Either way, we'd still struggle to get by!" Zayn argued, "This isn't going to work Nyssa. You have to go back to him and explain that we don't have that type of money to spare."

"He does not care in the slightest." She answered, "He believed he had already _accommodated_ our needs enough and drew the line here."

Zayn began to pace as he dragged both hands down his face with the faintest of groans before cursing out the king in French. Andrew and Nyssa both looked at each other, only to see what the other's reaction would be to Zayn's small outburst. He had done it several times before in Finiks Jurf when something in an experiment was miscalculated, or one of his mentees messed up, but this was different.

"So, we either surrender the league quickly, or we slowly die off after not being able to provide for the members." Zayn groaned in a rather annoyed tone, and only grew more annoyed when Nyssa nodded once. "Fucking hell, this is impossible!"

"We could always cut some funds." Andrew spoke up, "I mean, I know the plans to buy a few more cargo planes were in place along with fortified entrance, but if we put those projects on hold, we can make up for a portion of the money."

"And the rest?" Zayn asked, receiving silence. "Face it, Nyssa; we're in a corner! We've been fucked over, and there's no fixing it!"

"Too bad you didn't invest any of the funds into finding a way to grow gold before this," Andrew said with a single chuckle as to lighten the mood but got a glare from Zayn.

"What, you think this is funny Andrew?!" Zayn questioned as he walked towards Andrew, who stood up from the couch. "You think that losing the league is funny?! Well think about it this way; we lose the league, you and your _very_ pregnant wife won't have anywhere to go. Does that make it less funny to you, huh?!"

"What the hell is wrong with you Zayn?" Andrew growled, "You're not the only one backed into a corner here so don't you _dare_ act like you're the only one affected or I swear to god I'll-"

"Will you two ever learn to shut the hell up?!" Nyssa snapped, "We are all in an awful position, we got it! What would be helpful is trying to figure out how to get out of this mess rather than debating who wins the 'I've had the shittiest day' award."

Zayn and Andrew's quarrel died off with grumbles from each of them, but to avoid any other crossfire, Nyssa stood up and walked out of the room. The corridors were completely silent, and it was a nice change of scene after hours of people talking. Nyssa continued to walk until she found a room with a door opened and empty. It was a classical lounge room, so Nyssa stepped inside and closed the door behind her before pulling her phone out of her pocket.

* * *

Lunch had been only two hours ago, yet another break was much needed as Oliver continued to comb through the stack of papers on his desk. William got out of school in an hour, and he'd be in the office in an hour and fifteen minutes, so he put his head down and focused on the pile of work in front of him. The day had been nothing but reading over project proposals and proposals from different departments of city leadership; the fire department, the SCPD, and now the local environmental protection agency. The person who had written out the proposal preferred an overly formal tones, and Oliver found himself having to start a paragraph over several times after blindly reading them.

He was still trying not to yawn as he read over the fourth page in the packet when his phone began to vibrate on one of the stacks of manila folders. Oliver quickly marked his spot before snatching the phone from the top. He needed the distraction. One glance at the caller ID was more than enough, so he picked up as fast as humanly possible.

"Nyssa," He said as soon as he brought the phone to his ear, "I saw the headlines about the shooting, and I tried calling earlier. Are you all right?!"

"Yes, I'm fine beloved." She answered.

"You don't sound fine."

"It has been an incredibly long day."

"Is it coming to an end soon? Are you coming home?"

"I-I have no idea…"

"What do you mean?"

"We…I was put before the king immediately after the shooting. He expressed an interest in an alliance after the queen intervened and defended us. He set his terms for an alliance, and I tried my best to get them as realistic as possible, but they're impossible."

"How impossible?"

"If we don't accept, we would lose Finiks Jurf. If we do accept, then there is a high possibility that the league will crumble."

"Wow…" Oliver muttered, "I…"

"Zayn and Andrew have expressed their opinions…. partially, but the call is mine, and I don't know how to approach this…"

"Well…. I don't know either. What do you think is right?"

"Not losing Finiks Jurf, but so far an option that would provide that as a certain has not presented itself."

"Can you not negotiate with the king?"

"I have already tried for almost four hours, and he had expressed that it was his final offer. Zayn proposed more negotiation, but I believe it would be pushing the foundations that have already been laid in this alliance. I have the queen's trust, but that of the king is harder to acquire."

"Well here's my view on it," Oliver said, "Nys, you're a good leader, a great leader. You've been doing things like this for years, and this is just another obstacle to overcome. Every time you've come to an obstacle, you've passed it perfectly. You can do the same now. There is a way around it; you just have to look at it closer than you typically do. Even if it's not the outcome you wanted in the end, you can still work with it, Nys. You can turn it into what you wanted, and everyone will be better for it. If you think that taking the risk will benefit Finiks Jurf, then take the risk. Moreover, worse case of scenario, if all goes to hell, you've got the team, a few wealthy businessmen, the league, Star City, and ARGUS at your disposal."

Even though they were on the phone, Oliver could still picture the small smile that had parted her lips with the small laugh. "Thank you beloved; I needed that." She said more lightly as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Just come back home, all right? Do what you need to do and come back to William and me."

"All right. I should find the others. Thank you again, beloved."

"You don't have to thank me; I'm your husband." He said, "Stay safe."

"I will." She answered, "I love you."

"Love you too, Nys."

She was the first to hang up, and when the call ended, Oliver brought the phone down from his ear and set it back on the stack of papers at the corner of his desk. He glanced down at the time displayed in the bottom corner of his computer screen: 1:58 pm. She had to be coming home soon.

* * *

Nyssa, Zayn, and Andrew were all escorted into the room where Nyssa had stood before Eirik for almost four hours prior. Anna stood behind him, hands folded behind her back as she glanced over the assassins. The security guards behind the three were dismissed, leaving them alone with the Royals again.

"So," Eirik said, "Have you made your decision?"

Zayn and Andrew both looked towards Nyssa, who stood in between them. This was it, and just through their glances, each could read the uneasiness in the other's eyes.

"Yes," Nyssa answered, "We have."

* * *

The last hour of the workday seemed to drag on as Oliver kept reading over proposals. There were only a few instances when it took him this long, but he dismissed it. It was the last thing he had to do tonight before he could go home with William, who was sitting on the couches off to the side doing homework, or at least that's what it looked like from a distance. There was banter outside the office, but that was typical for a Monday evening. People tended to slack off in the morning, and a few hours before they could leave, they would hurry and get the work done. It had become the natural order, so Oliver didn't try to change it, knowing that he was guilty of the same thing.

The banter acted as white noise for the majority of the time until the door to the office opened. Oliver looked up towards the person that entered, and immediately he stood up and walked around the desk. Nyssa walked towards him, still dressed in a blazer and dress pants with a messenger bag slung over her shoulder, and before he could say anything, she threw her arms around him. He was confused at first, and he had his questions, but he didn't hesitate to pull her closer.

"Nys?" He asked, "What's going on? Is everything all right?"

There was a nod in his shoulder. "We did it," She answered, "We went through with the alliance."

"Nys, that's great!" Oliver exclaimed as he pulled away briefly but then noticed that she wasn't as enthusiastic as he was. "What's wrong?"

"I told you, either way, we risk losing the league, and that is still a possibility. Part of the agreement is that we have to pay a total of 17 billion for rights to the land throughout the next 25 years. We do not have enough the funds freed to pay it, but Andrew believes that if we were to cut funding to several projects, we could make the margin."

"17 billion?" Oliver asked, "That sounds too high for a fjord."

"It was 22 billion, but Andrew stepped in and convinced the king to lower the number."

"Wow…. In all honesty, I didn't even think the league brought in that much."

"We have our ways, although," Nyssa said, but then stopped as she reached in the messenger bag and pulled out a large piece of red fabric folded in a triangular shape. She took a step back, unfolded it, and let Oliver and William see it. They both knew it as the Norwegian flag, but now it had the league's gold insignia in the center of the blue cross. "We did become formal allies. Should the king never need our assistance or the other way around, we would be at each other's service. This flag will replace the old one and the leaders, and I will have these stitched onto the sleeves of our garbs."

William took a step closer towards Oliver while keeping his eyes on the flag. "Damn, that's pretty cool."

"William!" Oliver scolded, "Language."

"Sorry, but don't say you weren't thinking the same thing." The fourteen-year-old replied, "I'm going to go find Zoe. She would like this."

William dashed out of the office and into the clusters that were forming in the hallways outside, leaving Nyssa and Oliver alone.

"I'm assuming you're coming home with us then?" Oliver asked with a small smile.

"Definitely. I sent Zayn and Andrew back to the league to announce the news and help the military get out of the fjord. I cannot imagine that it would be going as smoothly as desired."

"Probably not, but that's all right, right? It's a night to celebrate."

"I assume the date November 24th has already gone down in the league's books." Nyssa answered before glancing towards a clock on the wall, "Still have an hour before you can leave?"

"Yeah, sorry-"

"Don't apologize. I have been the one holding you up these past few days so now it's my turn to wait. Besides, Tarren has informed me that I still owe him a sparring match, or I am supposed to help train the rookies. Either way, I will get that finished and meet you back up here."

"Sounds good. I'll be here reading the paperwork." Oliver said, burying his hands in the pockets of his pants, "Are you sure you don't want to stay here with me?"

"Do you need my help with it beloved?"

"It would be nice to have you around."

"Well then," Nyssa walked to the other side of the room and brought over one of the chairs at a small table and set it at the desk side. "I'm all yours."

Oliver smiled as he walked back towards his chair, but before sitting down, he put a finger under her chin and pulled her into a kiss. She didn't hesitate before returning it. A few seconds passed before they both pulled away, each smiling at the other.

"You have no idea how much I missed that." Nyssa confessed, "Zayn and Andrew make good company, but it was lonely without you there."

"Glad I'm still number one."

"You will always be number one to me, but to the office would be a different discussion if you were to not finish this before the end of the day." Nyssa smirked as she took a seat, "Shall we get this done so we can all go home?"

* * *

It had gotten dark long ago, and although the sky was filled with looming, gray clouds, the light of a few stars and the moon still broke through them. Normally, neither Oliver of Nyssa would have stayed up this late, but they wanted to have a nice evening after William went to bed.

Oliver set the bottle of wine back on the counter and took the two half-full glasses towards the sliding glass door that led out to the deck. He pushed it open with his elbow and walked towards the outdoor couch that they had set up during the summer. Nyssa was already out there with her feet under a blanket and a warm bowl of pasta. She briefly looked towards him but was more interested in the food.

"Leftovers have never tasted so good," She said as Oliver sat down next to her and set the wine on the coffee table.

"Really? Can I test that?"

"No, this is my food."

"Okay then," Oliver said as he took a seat next to her and pulled the other half of the blanket over his feet, but while she wasn't looking at him, he reached towards the bowl and pulled out a small chunk of the spaghetti.

"Oliver!" She snapped but couldn't help but laugh. "Who does that?!"

"Does what?"

"If you were going to steal it, you could not have stolen the fork first?"

"I was impatient."

"So I see." She muttered while pushing around the food with her fork. "Was your day at city hall productive?"

"Tedious, but yes, productive." Oliver replied, "Quentin brought up elections. He said that I need to start preparing."

"Do you not have an entire year before then?"

"We do but campaigning early will be a huge help in boosting the numbers. He said that soon we need to start putting together a campaign team, so they can start this from the side while we focus on the city's matters."

"If you did not get re-elected, what do you think you would do?"

"How about I join the league?"

"Um...Are you sure you would want to do that?"

"No. I know one of us has to stay in the city, and I'm more than happy to fill that role. We would probably get tired of each other rather quickly."

"I doubt that would be true. We get along quite well."

"True, but it's bound to happen _some_ day." Oliver leaned back on the couch and wrapped his arm around Nyssa's shoulder. She briefly looked towards him before setting the bowl down and pushing herself further into his embrace. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Those words together do not sound good."

"I guess it depends…. However, what happened with the shooting?"

"Oh…. that…" Nyssa muttered, "It was unexpected, and I assume you saw the headlines. I do not believe I would have to tell you this, but that was not the league's doing."

"Is everyone okay?"

"As okay as one can be after a shooting. The shooter was targeting the queen, and she would have been killed had it not been for Andrew looming over her while the four of us were talking. He took the bullet meant for her head on his shoulder. Medics said he would be fine and when we left, he was doing much better. Two other guards were shot. I had heard they were listed in critical but were steadily improving."

"Well, that's good…. How long were you stuck before the military dealt with the shooter? It seems like they were slow."

"The military did not do anything to stop the shooter. Zayn and I were the ones that stopped it."

"Guess the Royals were trying to cover up your presence."

"Yes, the alliance is supposed to be kept quiet." Nyssa answered, "Zayn assisted with figuring out where the shooter was and stayed with Anna and Andrew while I went after him. He was rather skilled with firearms, and he knew how to hide them well. I was just thankful the Kevlar held. If that fight carried on any longer Zayn would have taken over the league."

"He was that good?"

"If he were stripped of his firearms, then he would not have stood a chance, but he had military training, no doubt. His accent was a mix between Russian and something else, but I could not place it when he was shouting 'witch' at me."

"Wait, hold on a moment, you fought him like that?"

"I had no other options. It was either that or risk the military getting involved and have further proof that the league commanded the attack. A sword would not have proven successful, and I had to rely on archery. Evidently, that was not enough."

"But when all else failed, it was efficient, right?"

"I suppose…"

"I know you're wary about using it, but maybe this will change your stance."

"No, I do not believe so."

"It would be really helpful for the team here in Star City if you used it, in moderation of course."

"I know you mean well beloved, but it will not happen."

"I don't want to come off in the wrong way, but why is that? In the beginning, it was because you didn't know how to use them but after training with Nazaria, wouldn't you have a stronger understanding of it?"

"No," Nyssa replied, "I did all I could with her, but she can only teach me so much before it becomes repetitive. Time is precious now, and every day I find it harder to control the less I focus on it. It seems like the only way to keep it at bay is to make it the priority in my life, and that is not what I want everything to be centered around."

"So, you're saying that given the opportunity to rid yourself of that power, you would take it?"

"In a heartbeat."

"What about the league?"

Nyssa didn't reply as she pulled part of the blanket over her shoulder for warmth. Even after she had readjusted herself, she didn't answer right away. "I had not thought about it to that extent…" She admitted, "I believed that everything would turn out well in the end."

"You know what, just…forget I asked, okay?" Oliver asked, "It's not making the evening any better."

"Thank you, beloved."

An awkward silence passed between them as they both looked out on the acre of land below them. Because of their position on the hillside, the city's lights were visible even with the greater distance.

Oliver didn't know how to continue, but as if an answer to a silent prayer, he remembered the wine. He silently cleared his throat as he reached towards the glasses. "I believe that these have been neglected."

"I suppose you are correct." Nyssa accepted one of the glasses and brought it to her lips. Another moment of silence passed between them. "I missed this," She admitted, "We never do this anymore."

"I guess it's just what happens when we get caught up in our jobs, but we should do this more often."

"Every weekend at some point would be nice. Summer nights would be beautiful."

"A break for a week or two would be nice too." Oliver added, "How about we take a vacation."

"What?"

"Just the three of us like we did in April. Maybe for William's spring break, we take a vacation somewhere, or closer towards Christmas next year."

"That would be nice, but it should be somewhere with a warm beach."

"South America?"

"Or the Philippines." Nyssa said with a growing smile, "I suppose there is still much more planning to go through, but this is always a good escape. If you still want to build a pool back here, then we could create our private beach."

"When you put it that way, it makes me want to start drawing out pools."

"How about instead of drawing it out, you tell me about it, so I know what you're thinking as well? Besides, I live here, and I am your wife; therefore, I get a say."

"Fair enough." Oliver replied, "But you'll regret hearing the idea. It's been my escape during meetings, and it has become rather elaborate."

"If it's coming from you, I do not believe listening would be a regret."

* * *

A soft buzzing from the side of the room was just enough to wake her up. Nyssa opened one eye and glared at her phone, silently hoping that it would die off on its own so that she could go back to sleep. It stopped ringing, and all was silent. She closed her eye and tried to go back to sleep, but then it began to vibrate again. Nyssa grumbled as she sat up and snatched the phone off the bedside table. She began to curse under her breath as the blue light from the phone blinded her, but as soon as she could read the caller ID, she stopped and looked over her shoulder. Surprisingly, Oliver was still asleep, but she didn't want to test for how long. Nyssa stood up from the bedside and walked out of the bedroom, all the way to the back deck before answering the call.

"Nyssa," The voice on the other end said.

"Do you not realize that it is 2 AM here?" Nyssa asked in an annoyed tone.

"Apologies," Zayn answered, "But this is important. Before we parted ways, you told me to start looking for who may have tipped off the military. I went to the communications team and had them do some digging, and I found something." Nyssa didn't say anything when he paused. "It's a phone call between someone in the league and someone that has yet to be identified."

"Play it."

There were a few seconds of silence before a recording of the phone call started to play. The first who spoke was a man with a clear Norwegian accent, but the other man had a definite American accent, but with a lisp that seemed English, perhaps even Welsh. The American voice wasn't as deep or husky as the Norwegian's, and immediately Nyssa knew it was someone young, but that did nothing in narrowing down who in the league it could have been. The Norwegian answered every one of the American's questions, ranging from 'Are you sure you have this placed correctly?' to 'And if it fails?'. When the latter was asked, there was a moment of silence before the Norwegian answered, 'We have it taken care of.'

The recorded call ended, and both assassins were silent.

"Find whoever was on that call." Nyssa ordered, "I do not care how you do it, but whoever was on that has asked for what shall come of them."

"We're already working on it," Zayn answered, "Just thought that I'd let you know. We just found this a few minutes before I called."

"Keep looking. It is not done yet."

"We'll get back to work then."

Nyssa was the one that ended the call, and even before she had, a wave of rage had washed over her. It took a moment for her to compose herself before walking back up to the master bedroom, but sleep didn't come as easy as it had a few hours prior.

* * *

The winter winds were bitter, and it nipped at every inch of exposed skin. The sun had already started to set, but the runways were still active with planes taking off every few minutes, each heading to a new and unique location. It couldn't be categorized as a typical winter evening, however. If it were, then the fjord wouldn't have been filled with such upbeat energy. People continued to carry out their jobs with almost no complaints, as everyone was still celebrating the victory that had been claimed in the earliest hours of the morning.

Though others were celebrating more vocally, Nyssa was celebrating silently as she walked along the pathway carved into the mountainside. Even when she walked into one of the structures that had been built into the cliffside, she didn't slow her pace. The main areas were filled with people rushing towards different sections of the building, and a few of them waved towards Nyssa, and she quickly waved back before running up the main stairs.

By the time she reached the fifth floor, Nyssa could finally slow down. Straight ahead of her were two large, frosted glass doors with a modern design, just like the rest of the interior. She pulled open one of the doors and stepped into the large amphitheater, where several people were seated at desks around the perimeter of the center. Down below, several large screens hung, so they were visible to everyone in the room and staring straight up at them was the man in charge, dressed in his typical league uniform and reading over the information that appeared on the screens.

Nyssa walked down the steps of the amphitheater until she was at his right side. "I trust you have been doing as I instructed?" She asked, "I'm sure you understand that time is of the essence."

Zayn didn't turn towards her as another block of text appeared on the screen. "If you haven't noticed, I have everyone focused on it." He replied, but then turned towards her and looked at her sleeve, where the Norwegian league hybrid flag had been stitched. "The flag on the sleeve looks much better than I had originally anticipated."

"The king knew that this would be an important step in recognition of the alliance, but I hope that you realize this is not something that would be done in a normal circumstance."

"It partially gives away the origin. I understand. I suppose Eirik is more concerned with us straying from the agreement, so he's branded us if you will." Zayn looked back towards the screens and watched the information flashing through. "We've collected and listened to any phone calls that have originated in the fjord. Each one has had the caller IDed except for a handful, but they don't have any significance to the person who tipped of Norway or the origin of the shooter."

"If there are no other calls between the traitor and the Norwegian, then why would there suddenly be a slip up closer to the day of execution?"

"I'm not sure, but whoever performed it was an amateur. With time and the correct applications, we could track the exact origin of the call."

"How long will that take?"

"Roughly three days."

"I do not have that time, nor does the league."

"Until another lead comes up, that's the path we'll take." Zayn finished, "There are too many variables even in the small lead we have, and it could take longer, but we'll exhaust every means until the traitor is found."

From the corner of her eye, Nyssa saw a man dressed a classic league uniform walking towards her and Zayn with a manila folder filled with a stack of neatly organized papers. He stepped past Nyssa and stood at Zayn's other side, taking out a portion of the papers and handing them to him. It took her a moment, but Nyssa remembered the man as Zayn's assistant, Dylan. He looked slightly different from the last time she saw him, chocolate brown hair rather than nearly black hair being the main difference.

"The portion of phone calls that you requested to be transcribed are in that folder," Dylan informed, "But another batch is being examined as we speak. The team you set on emails believes that there may be some loose links found in there, but they aren't confident."

"And have you spoken with any of the people in emails that we tagged as potential connections?" Zayn questioned.

"A few of them have been spoken to, but the majority of them have yet to be found."

"Keep looking for them and find Ishaq and bring him in here. I want to find out of there's been any word about this in regard with certain missions."

"Ishaq has been in Poland for the past 36 hours. His team is scheduled to be back before sunrise tomorrow."

Between Zayn's onslaught of orders and Dylan's answers, Nyssa took note of his voice. He couldn't be older than nineteen at the most, and he had a crisp pronunciation of every word, saying each syllable with careful attention and not letting anything gets jumbled up. Many people had similar lisps, but he was different. He was American, like several other assassins, but there was a slight Welsh tone. It was subtle, but it was a giveaway because there had only been one other time Nyssa had ever heard that undertone.

Dylan handed Zayn another section of the papers in the folder after taking back another, but all the papers dropped from his arms when he was hit back. He stumbled back, trying to figure out what was going on, but didn't get the chance before the collar of his shirt was grabbed, and his back was slammed up against the wall. The cold blade of a knife met the skin of his neck, and that's when he finally looked into the dark brown eyes staring into his gunmetal blue.

"Nyssa!" Zayn shouted, but his roar wasn't the cause of the room going almost dead silent. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"It's him." Nyssa growled, "The other person on the call, it's him."

Her eyes never left Dylan's, but the assistant's eyes darted between Nyssa and Zayn, who was standing just a few feet behind the woman who had a blade held at his neck.

"You're insane!" Zayn shot back, "Nyssa, it's not him!"

"How many assassins here do you know that have an American accent with a Welsh undertone?" Nyssa said, still not taking her eyes away from Dylan. Zayn didn't reply. "I know what I heard."

"It's Dylan for crying out fucking loud Nyssa! We both know him!"

Nyssa's eyes trailed down Dylan's chest, where his out jacket was worn as most assassins typically wore it, but part of it was bent inwards, the part that naturally didn't fall that way. She pulled away from Dylan, removing the blade from his neck and allowing him to breathe. He only had a split second of relief before a punch across the face sent him down to the ground, receiving gasps from around the room. Dylan groaned as he covered his broken nose with one hand and barely noticed when Nyssa crouched down at his side and grabbed something off the inside of his jacket.

Nyssa scowled at the flat, circular device with a newly broken pair of wires on the side. She stood back up and immediately looked towards Zayn.

"He was innocent, you said?" Nyssa asked, "Then explain to me why there was a microphone on the inside of his jacket."

She tossed Zayn the microphone, and although he caught it, he quickly pawned it off to one of the men standing behind him, who hurried off to the other side of the room. Zayn continued to glare, but Nyssa felt no effect. She didn't glance back towards Dylan and the two assassins that were dragging him up to his feet and out of the room before she walked out of the room herself, leaving Zayn and the rest of the team to deal with the new mess.

* * *

"And the commanders?"

"Their training has been extended for another month due to imperfections in technique."

"Keep them in that position until it has been perfected without any hesitation." Nyssa ordered before looking towards another one of the assassins who had been training the new commanders, "And your group?"

"In a similar situation." He answered, "But it's being improved."

"I want them out leading no later than January 1st."

"That can be arranged."

"Ma'am?"

Nyssa and the two assassins all looked towards the doorway of the room, where another man stood. The two men that she had been speaking with each took that as their time to leave and exited out of the same door that the third was standing in.

As soon as the other two had left the room, he spoke, "The device found on Zayn's assistant was traced."

"And the origin?"

"Was confirmed to be relative to the Norwegian that had been on the call."

"Without a shadow of a doubt?"

"Zayn confirmed it after it was traced." He answered, "Dylan Kendrick was the traitor."

"Lock him up." Nyssa ordered, "Find out his motives, connections, and anyone else who was involved. I never want to see him set foot into league manners from this point forward."

"Yes, ma'am."

The assassin nodded as he quickly left the room, leaving Nyssa alone. It almost seemed too easy, but seeing as Dylan was so young, it made sense. He couldn't have had the experience needed to cover this up, and it showed. What intrigued her was how someone so young could have been involved in something such as this, and what his motive was. However, despite her questions, she still tried to see the small victory in the event. The league had been stripped of a traitor. She knew that Zayn would still be irritated, but it didn't bother her in the slightest. She had done her job, and the league was now better for it.


	43. The Foundation

**A/N: I'm low key sentimental. I took five days writing this extremely long chapter because today marks one year since I began this whole thing with publishing the first chapter of Scratched Silver. A lot of stuff has happened since then, and this is my way of celebrating some milestones.**

* * *

 **December 13th, 2018**

"I have decided to do it."

"You're what? I don't understand. You're _really_ going to do it?"

"I've had enough. It's time for a change in the league. No longer shall I wait for this to happen on its own and I will not allow it to be the center of my life. The league and its members are the priority, not the imprudent games I play when trying to control it and the obstacles that are brought forth."

"I understand but there could be a way to figure it all out. By doing this, you would force yourself to do things the hard way."

"Sometimes things need to be done the toilsome way."

"But I don't think you've considered all the angles. Maybe-"

"Oliver, it has already been decided. I'm destroying the nine swords."

* * *

 **48 Hours Earlier…**

"I do not understand why you are committing so much to a single pasta dish." Nyssa wondered, "You realize this is not a special occasion, correct?"

Oliver didn't look away from the pot of steaming pasta when Nyssa spoke. "I thought I'd try something a bit different," he answered, "Besides, we've been eating a lot of the same thing and there was a great deal on seafood so one thing led to another and-wait, can you pass me the salt?"

"I know you have a lot to finish from the office. I could have done this." Nyssa offered as she set the salt on the counter off to Oliver's side.

"We've both been working. This really isn't a big deal." Oliver assured. He stared down at the pot filled with his masterpiece and took in the irresistible aroma that had already filled the kitchen. "I think this is just about done."

"Looks complete to me."

"You never saw the recipe."

"It still looks nice."

"Thank you. I can start plating if you can go find William."

"Sure."

While Oliver busied himself with plates, Nyssa stood up from where she had been leaning against the island and walked up the stairs. Even from down the hallway, she could see that William's door was mostly closed, but there was still a thin beam of light that stretched out across the carpet and opposing wall.

She walked up to the door and lightly knocked. "William?" she said from the side of the door frame, "Dinner's ready. Can you come downstairs?"

"Yeah, I'll be there in a moment!" The teen called from inside.

Nyssa strolled back downstairs and wasn't surprised to see Oliver finishing up the last few steps to perfecting his masterpiece, which he had already begun to lay out on the counter. Very rarely did the family sit down at the table in the dining room now a days. Instead, they made the counter at the island the table, and it never felt awkward because how naturally cozy the kitchen was. Oliver always insisted on standing because he claimed that he had been 'Sitting all day and needed to get back on his feet'.

"He'll be down in a moment," Nyssa informed as she walked around to Oliver's side while pulling her hoodie tighter around her body and crossing her arms.

"Great, because I need your guys' honest opinion."

"On the dish I suppose?"

"That and if I should try using different meats next time."

"This is becoming a hobby for you, isn't it?"

"You could say that."

"What's cookin'?"

Nyssa and Oliver both looked up and saw William walking towards the kitchen with a few notecards in his hand, each filled with disorganized scribbles in different colors of ink.

"Cajun seafood pasta," Oliver announced while he began plating the meal.

"Seafood. That's new. Is there a special occasion?"

"Sale at the weekly market."

"Alright," William hummed. He kept his eyes on Oliver, who looked over each plate, fixing any imperfections he saw. "Are you trying to impress us?"

"Not especially," Oliver answered.

"Are you sure? Because you're giving the same amount of attention to the food as the people on Food Network do." William suggested, "Have you ever thought about entering one of those cook-offs?"

"This is just a hobby. Nothing fancy."

"It looks like you're slowly becoming the next Bobby Flay."

"What are those notecards for?" Oliver questioned.

A smirk tugged at the corner of William's mouth when he knew his father was trying to avoid the subject, but went along with it. "Chemistry test on Thursday and I wanted to study with any extra seconds."

"It's only Tuesday. You sure seem dedicated to it." Oliver remarked, "Is it on something more difficult for you?"

"Partially. It's stuff on the structure of atoms, to say the least, and I'm not the best at it. But if it makes you feel any better, I think I'll pass. I just have to memorize some of the ways to figure out the number of particles and such."

"Well if you stay dedicated like you are now, you'll do fine." Oliver gave each plate a quick glance over before sliding two of them across the counter towards William and Nyssa. "Alright, I want an honest answer."

"We're not saying anything until you take a bite with us." William insisted, "Aren't the professionals supposed to taste it before allowing it to be judged?"

"I'm not a professional. Hasn't that already been established?"

"Just checkin'."

William was the first to pick up his fork but waited until both Oliver and Nyssa had caught up before actually taking a bite. His father's gaze was focused on the countertop, but William knew that somehow, his expression was seen.

"It's oddly quiet…" Oliver said cautiously, "Is it that bad?"

"If my tongue wasn't burning up as we speak, I would be able to comment on the flavor, but for now, nine out of ten." William reviewed, "I would definitely dine here again."

"I would hope so," Oliver said as he turned to Nyssa, "What do you think?"

"I think your time was well spent." The brunette replied with a small smile.

Oliver grinned as he went back to his own plate. For the next minute, near silence filled the kitchen and was only interrupted by the cling of silverware against the plates.

"So, um," William began, "You remember that parent-teacher conferences start on Thursday, right? Were you able to schedule some with my teachers?"

"Yup, it's already been taken care of." Oliver informed.

Nyssa glanced up towards Oliver and William, silent for a moment. "I can take care of that, if you'd like."

"Aren't you going to be in Finiks Jurf during the conference?" Oliver asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, bu-"

"You don't have to worry about it then. I can handle the conferences since I should be done at the office by then."

"Okay then…"

"By the way, how are things going in Finks Jurf right now?"

"Smoother than before." Nyssa answered.

"Well that's good to here, but what's going on with that….thing, from about two weeks ago?"

"It's being dealt with."

"It's still better than it was earlier on."

"Yes, it is."

Nyssa glanced towards William and was relieved to see him more focused on his notecards rather than her and Oliver's conversation. Oliver followed her gaze and when he picked up on the hint, he didn't ask another question, again to Nyssa's relief. They both knew it wasn't supposed to go that far.

* * *

The running water and the clinking of the porcelain plates against each other were the only sounds that filled the kitchen. Darkness had fallen over the city hours ago, and from where she stood at the sink, Nyssa got a perfect view from the window of how the city's lights pierced through that darkness, just like they did every night. It was one of the many reasons she preferred Star City at night.

"Nys?"

Nyssa didn't have to turn her head to realize that it was Oliver who called her by the exclusive nickname. He walked into the kitchen, from the direction of the office, and stopped a few feet away.

"I thought we agreed to not discuss those matters when William's around." Nyssa muttered, still not looking away from the soap covered plate in her hand.

Oliver bit his bottom lip. "I forgot about that and I'm sorry."

"Please don't forget again. I don't want him getting more involved in this….mess."

"William's a smart kid."

"Which is why I would appreciate it if from now on, we did not discuss league matters here."

"Alright, it won't happen again. I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

"But I know that the mention of the league isn't what's really bothering you." Oliver suggested. Nyssa briefly froze and went back to rinsing another plate, but Oliver saw right through it. "What's going on?"

"Just….long day."

"You've been saying every day is a long day."

"This one was simply longer than others."

"And why was that?" Nyssa's eyebrows furrowed as she finally glanced towards Oliver. "William's upstairs studying over a Skype call with a friend. I doubt he'd hear anything."

"I'd rather not take any chances." She muttered.

"We have a deck-"

"Oliver," Nyssa interrupted, "leave it alone."

"I just want to understand."

"There's nothing to understand."

"Your tone says otherwise."

"I would _greatly_ appreciate it if you would drop the subject so I can finish cleaning the kitchen."

"I'll help you out then." Oliver offered, already beginning to pick up the few dishes left in the sink before Nyssa could interject. "It would speed the process up, wouldn't it?"

"I suppose so."

Oliver passively scooted towards her side, putting him closer to the running water. The inches of height he had on her barely helped him in figuring out what she was trying to avoid, but he knew that something on her mind was the source of the frustration.

"So," Oliver began, "What's going on with your Norwegian friends back at the workplace?"

"Your code names for the league barely keep it hidden." Nyss replied, "But things are going fine, like I had said at dinner. What about things here in the city?"

"Same old thing. Meetings, proposal reviews, Tarren being a pest; the usual."

"Sounds delightful."

"But the parent-teacher conferences going on at William's school are coming up. Don't tell him this, but I just remembered as the school was closing earlier today. I know they were kind of important to him."

"Yes, he's mentioned them several times when cursing about a group project where he's forced to carry the team. His grumbling was more like normal speech."

"I honestly don't understand why he has to have these scheduled," Oliver added, "I mean, I understand why they're necessary, but why they're necessary for William still confuses me. He's got straight A's and doesn't have any problems with teachers or other students."

"That you know of."

"You think William hasn't been telling us something?"

"No, but it's still a small possibility."

"Well either way, I was able to get all of William's conferences scheduled for Friday evening at around six o'clock. I already know I have a meeting that ends only fifteen minutes before that so it's going to be tight, but I think we should be fine."

"Your meetings never stay on schedule. What makes you think you would make it there in time?"

"I can pull some strings."

"But why take the chance?"

"I thought you viewed risk-taking as something not to be avoided."

"But not something one should indulge in either," Nyssa corrected.

"Well, I can't reschedule. All the openings were taken and I was lucky to get these ones."

"I can go."

"Aren't you going to be in Finiks Jurf?"

"I-" As soon as she began, Nyssa stopped and released an annoyed sigh. "I can make it work."

"But you've been getting home at around nine every night for the last two weeks. How would you be able to make it there in time?"

"The time I get back will be changing soon."

"How soon?"

Nyssa turned away from Oliver and picked up the plate that he had set down. "The next week, or so." She replied, "I-I'm not sure…"

"Well, we miss you here." Oliver said gently, "William and I rarely see you these days. Not even on weekends."

"I know, and I'm doing my best to fix that."

"You've been saying that but it's becoming less convincing."

"I know," Nyssa mumbled, "I'm trying, and I'm sorry. Things with the league….it's complicated."

"Is that why you asked me to stop talking about it when William's around?" Oliver questioned, and received silence. "Is that why you asked me to stop talking about it?"

Nyssa's focus on anything around her faded completely, and Oliver saw her bite her lip. Silence fell between them. Oliver knew that it wasn't the right time, nor the place, to ask questions, but for the past week, they had been burning a hole in his mind. He needed an answer.

"I'm sorry if this seems direct but-"

"No, it's fine." Nyssa interrupted, "I haven't been reasonable and you have every right to demand answers."

"I don't want to demand anything from you. We both have the parts of our lives that are separate and sometimes you can't talk about it," Oliver sympathized, "I understand."

"Except the part of your life that you can keep separate is vastly preferred in regards to this family."

"What do you mean?"

Silence fell over them again, and Oliver saw Nyssa's grip on the porcelain plate tighten.

"I hate my life." Nyssa mumbled, and although Oliver was standing at her side, he could see the layer of tears coating her eyes. "I hate it."

"Nys," Oliver soothed as he placed his hand on her back, but it did nothing to relieve the tension. "What's going on?"

"I can't do it all…I can't. I made a mistake in accepting the treaty with Norway."

"What do you mean? If you hadn't then you would have lost the league."

"It was the right choice for the league, but it was not the right choice for you and William." Nyssa explained, "Every day when I come home, you and William are already ending your days. I miss everything that a wife and mother should be there for and I hate it. I can't ask that you change, because you're doing what someone should. I'm the one that's causing all the problems and every day it feels like I'm failing as a member of this family….A mother should know what happens in her child's life as well as her husband's. I barely know anything that goes on in your life outside of what happens in this house, and I don't even get to ask William how his day went or what he did in class….I can't even name the classes he takes, or what he does after school…."

"I don't like this either." Oliver agreed, and Nyssa didn't look at him strangely. Her expression was normal, like she had been expecting it. "I know you have your obligation to the league, but William never sees you apart from the few minutes before we leave in the morning. He asked about it for the first few days, but he doesn't ask anymore. It's just become part of the routine."

"The league's taken so much…." Nyssa muttered, "I can't do this anymore….I don't want to do it anymore, and for the past few weeks, I've…..I wish I hadn't created the league. Not to mention the burden the 'ancient sword magic' really is. Any spare moment I get is immediately used by worrying about how I'm supposed to control it."

"I thought you were working with Nazaria to fix things like that, and last I heard, it was going well."

"I haven't worked with her in weeks. She left to visit family in the Middle East around Thanksgiving, and when she returned, I never had the time to get back into the habit of practicing."

"And none of the past work helps?"

Nyssa shook her head. "She taught me that as I grew more experienced with using them, I would learn control naturally. Other than getting to and from the league, I avoid using it because I don't know what would happen if I were to lose control, and that fear has only made the possibility more likely."

"It's not too late to address it though, is it?"

"I have no idea. I try not to think about it….I never wanted this and having it only causes problems. I just want a normal life here in Star City with you and William. Hell, I daydreamed about having a desk job….or even working in the security detail again. Anything sounds better at this point."

"You can walk away from this Nys. You've done so much for it already, and there are plenty of people who could take your place…but don't disband it. Think of all the good work you've encouraged by starting it with a new code."

"I don't know what's supposed to be done right now, by me or the league as a whole….All I know is that I want it all to stop, and I want to be in your and William's lives like I should be."

A sympathetic smile tugged at the corner of Oliver's mouth before he leaned forward and pulled his wife into his arms. "We'll figure this out together," Oliver decided, "We're a team, and I'm not leaving you alone." He felt a nod in his chest.

"Thank you, beloved….You're the first person that has taken the time to listen."

* * *

The day began as all days in the Queen household did. While Oliver and William prepared to head out to work and school, Nyssa waited downstairs. It never took her very long to get ready compared to Oliver and William; so when she was done, she always went downstairs, made a cup of tea, and waited for them both. Waiting never bothered her, as it was truly the only way she could see William that day, unless he stayed up later, which didn't happen often. William was growing into more of a morning person, and because Oliver was far from that, the young boy was always left waiting for Oliver with Nyssa.

Footsteps came from the stairs, and from where Nyssa was leaning up against the counter, she looked up just in time to see William walking into the kitchen. He wore his classic red and white high school style jacket, and his navy blue backpack was lazily slung over one shoulder.

"Morning William." Nyssa greeted.

"Morning." The boy replied, although distracted as he walked towards a floor to ceiling set of cabinets.

Nyssa watched from the corner of her eye as the fourteen-year-old reached into the cabinet and pulled out one of the two boxes of cereal left inside. She wanted to begin a conversation, but as soon as she saw William sit down at the counter and pull out some note cards, she knew it was best to let him study. As he picked at bits of the dry cereal, William didn't notice the awkward silence between the two and continued to read over his writing, until another set of footsteps came from the stairs.

Wearing a dark gray suit and wine-colored tie, Oliver walked into the kitchen and couldn't help but smile when he saw both William and Nyssa.

"Morning you two." He piped.

"Hey Dad." William greeted in a much more cheerful manner than he had greeted Nyssa.

"Are you still studying for chemistry?"

"Yeah, Nate helped me realize that a little more studying wouldn't hurt my case."

"He's right, no harm in taking the extra few minutes," Oliver said as he reached into the cabinet and took out a bag of coffee grounds. He glanced over to his side and saw Nyssa distracted by her tea as much as William was by his notecards. "Hey Nys."

Nyssa took the cup away from her face and quickly smiled at Oliver. "Morning."

"You're quieter than normal."

"Just enjoying the morning."

"Are you doing anything out of the ordinary today?"

"I do not believe so. And you?"

"Same old routine." Oliver replied before glancing down at his watch, "William, we need to get going in a few minutes. Are you ready to go?"

"Yup, just waiting for you." William mumbled without taking his eyes away from the notecards.

Oliver quickly put a lid on his cup of coffee and took it into his hands before looking over towards his wife. "I guess I'll see you later tonight then?"

"You will."

"Great," Oliver smiled before leaning over and giving her a quick kiss, "See you in a few hours."

Nyssa smiled back at him as he and William both took their bags and walked out the front door. Even after the door shut behind them and she could hear the car leaving the driveway, Nyssa stood there alone, finishing her tea as though there wasn't a thing on her mind, except the exact opposite was true.

As soon as her cup was empty, Nyssa set it in the sink and walked down to the basement. When she turned on the lights, the shadowy figures that had been on the table became her folded garbs. She took off the camel colored cardigan, that had made her black leggings and long sleeve shirt seem more like an outfit, and draped it over the back of a wooden chair.

The heavy cotton of the dark gray overcoat embellished with detailed gold trim felt like a blanket of familiarity, and the weight of her sword and quiver on her back acted as an anchor. Her black riding-style boots with straps around the ankle had a layer of dirt covering them, but it had become a normal occurrence that didn't both Nyssa at all.

With everything she needed to start her own workday, Nyssa stared straight ahead at the map that was displayed on the wall. Several colored marks were scribbled on and around the continents, but as it gained more marks every week, she and Oliver decided to just keep it there and not replace it, as it had gained as much importance as a family heirloom.

Since there was nothing else she could do to stall, Nyssa cautiously lifted her foot and tapped her heel against the ground. A flurry of golden flames rose from where her heel had landed, and they rose up into the air faster than normal. Nyssa's breath hitched as they grew higher and higher, and just as a bright whiteness took over her sight, a burning lash came from the side of her leg, but she couldn't look to see what it was before everything became white.

The bright blankness quickly faded into a forest setting, and as soon as she could, Nyssa stumbled forward while holding the side of her leg. She staggered to the side but stopped herself from tripping as soon as she realized where she was. Nyssa looked around, and her expectation of being in the league's fjord was far from reality. Tall spruces and pines rose from the ground and through the holes in the canopy, the darkening, milky sky was visible. Patches of grass grew through the layers of damp dirt, but it did nothing to tell the assassin where she had ended up.

The scenery was only a momentary distraction before Nyssa looked down to where she was still holding the side of her leg. She carefully lifted her hand from where it rested just below the side of her knee. Despite her leather pants being a dark pebble gray, she could see the charred edges of the area of leather that had been burned away. The burn that was left on her skin wasn't bad, but it became an annoyance as soon as Nyssa readjusted herself so her weight was evenly spread.

As an instinct, Nyssa took her phone from a pocket on the inside of her jacket and, miraculously, saw she had one bar. It was just enough to pull up a map, where she was able to see exactly where she ended up; almost six miles northeast of the league's fjord.

She kept her grumbling to a minimum as she used her phone's compass to find southwest, and as she began the walk to where she should have ended up, Nyssa wished she had sick days to waste away on days like this.

* * *

Well over an hour of walking made Nyssa feel as though she had just wasted the entire day away, and her mud covered boots and garbs didn't help make the feeling go away. Despite her situation, Nyssa knew that an hour had still been wasted and there was work to be done.

The entrance hall was almost deserted when Nyssa walked inside. A few assassins walked through the open area to get to the place they needed to go, but they disappeared as soon as they appeared.

"Nyssa!"

The voice from behind her was all too familiar, and as Nyssa turned around to face them, a bit of surprise was shown through her expression.

"Elena," Nyssa greeted, "I thought you weren't supposed to be walking around."

"Because the 'You're pregnant' excuse? That recommendation went out the window nearly two hours ago." The Greek replied, "Where were you yesterday?!"

"I was here."

"No, you weren't. I was looking for you yesterday morning and apparently, you had left for Star City. What happened to the military inspection from Norway? You left and that hadn't been addressed."

"I had somewhere else I needed to be."

"Nyssa, I know Oliver and William are important, but they could have waited an hour." Elena stressed, "We had to scramble around to get things ready in time, and thank god the commanders didn't demand to see you specifically, or else we would have been screwed."

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"Good! Now onto the other matter," Elena said as her gaze traveled to Nyssa's garb. "You're here almost two hours late and you're covered in mud. Explain."

"Look, I'm sorry Elena. I'm trying to take care of all of this but a better outcome wasn't in my cards."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I thought I was going to get here on time, a few minutes early in fact, but I ended up miles away from the fjord and had to hike here." Nyssa explained.

"You have an ability to essentially teleport. Why didn't you do that?"

"Because it's the reason I was out there in the first place," Nyssa replied, "You know what, just forget it. You shouldn't be getting this involved, and now that I am here, I need to get to work."

"Nyssa Queen, get back here!" Elena called, "You're good, but you're not that good." Nyssa turned back around with her arms crossed over her chest. "You think you can just shrug me off that easily?"

"Elena, I'm not trying to shrug you off, but this is not something you should concern yourself with."

"Like hell I'm not going to concern myself with my best friend's life." Elena scoffed, "The control is getting harder, isn't it?"

"I'm working on it."

"Obviously not that efficiently. When I asked you about it last week, you shrugged me off. You're not going to get away with doing the same thing."

"I shrugged you off because you were busy. We both had things to finish."

"Well, that's not the case now."

"No Elena, it may not be the case for you but I don't have time for this."

"You never have time for anything important these days," Elena pointed out as Nyssa began walking away, "Why is it that you always forget that taking care of yourself is important?"

"I do not forget something like that," Nyssa argued, "The league and Norway have to come first or else we risk losing something more important than what goes on in my life."

"For god's sakes Nyssa! If this whole magic deal is getting to you, then get help from Nazaria! She's here to _help_ you!"

"I will look into that as soon as the Norwegian government gets off my back and the league doesn't have anything else I need to worry about." Nyssa finished as she walked to the side of the hall and disappeared into a corridor.

"Is she being difficult?"

Nyssa jumped and looked to her side, where Andrew was leaning against a doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Your wife is becoming a pain in the neck," Nyssa blurted, "I'm sorry, but I would greatly appreciate if you would tell her to get off my back."

"We'll just blame it on the pregnancy to be nice," Andrew muttered as he glanced towards the end of the corridor that led to where Elena had been standing. "But she wasn't lying. When didn't see you around the fjord, she began searching for you up until you came in a few minutes ago. Zayn tried to keep her in one place, but you know Lena. Stubborn."

"Well when you get the chance, thank her on my behalf. For now, I have too many things to worry about."

Before Andrew could reply, Nyssa walked past him and continued down the corridor, already running through the growing list of things she had to finish and address before she could even consider going home for the night.

* * *

Checking in on the division of commanders that Nyssa ordered to be trained had become a lowlight of her day. Between their training becoming a lower priority and their trainers not working to have them ready as fast as possible, she couldn't deal with it, but as soon as she walked out of the largest training room that the trainers and trainees had been working in, it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Nyssa pulled a pen out from where it had been resting behind her ear and used it to draw a line through the words 'Commanders' written on the back of her hand.

"Hey Nyssa!"

Nyssa recognized the voice, and although the person hadn't done anything to piss her off that morning, she still grumbled as she turned around to face the black-haired Canadian.

"What's going on Zayn?" Nyssa asked, already irritated that her time from getting other things done was slowly being stripped away. "You only approach me when you need something."

"Yeah, you got me on that." He admitted, "At some point today, I need a few minutes of your time."

"And why's that?"

"Just...tech stuff. It's hard to explain briefly, but you'll get it once you see it." Zayn explained as he stepped to Nyssa side and glanced down at her hand. "A To-Do list. Doesn't look like you're doing too bad today."

"I'd be doing better if those damn trainees would stick to the schedule that was supposed to be established." Nyssa grumbled.

"Ah-ha, I see then. What else is on the list?"

"Stuff for Norway, Hayden, Andrew, Saskia and Abigail-"

"Give me that pen for a sec."

"Why?"

"Just hand it to me."

Nyssa passed Zayn the pen, but as soon as he had it, he took Nyssa's hand and began reading down the list she had written.

"Zayn, what the hell-"

"Get the new coordinates to Hayden: Done." Zayn said as he drew a line through one of the phrases written on Nyssa's hand. "Talk to Andrew about mission and plane coordination-Done, and I have a list on my desk that will give you an overview. Saskia and Abigail were able to take care of the little problem in the med division so that's also done." Zayn looked down at his work, and out of the seven things Nyssa had written on her hand, six of them were crossed out. "What's left then? Find out what's going on with the Tanzania colony? I can get that done, which only leaves you with two things; letting me lecture you later on and-oh wait, this isn't on your list, but it's going to be."

Zayn passed the pen back to Nyssa and before she could argue with him, he put his arm around her shoulder and led her down a corridor in the back of the large entrance hall that she had been standing in. Only when they were in the corridor did Zayn let go of her shoulder, but he continued to lead her through until they reached the end; the main hall, where Elena stood at Nazaria's side with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Lena said you didn't have time for this," Zayn began, "So we made the time for you."

"Zayn-"

"And now you don't have any excuse!" Zayn finished, "Now I have a colony in Tanzania to check up on, so why don't you do what's best for you, for once, and I'll go do my thing."

Before Nyssa could argue, Zayn stepped behind her and shoved her closer to the two women. Elena's glare wasn't angry, but it was more than intimidating. The slight smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth were more than enough to tell Nyssa how victorious she felt. Nazaria's expression was blank, but Nyssa could tell that she wasn't in the mood for an argument.

"I hear you've been avoiding me," Nazaria intoned, and it left Nyssa stammering.

"No, I haven't been avoiding you," Nyssa managed, "I haven't had the time-"

"Nobody has time, but people make the time by prioritizing themselves when the time is right."

"Now was not the right time for this."

"That is such a bold-faced lie. Zayn, Elena, Andrew, and all the other people you're involved with here just worked their asses off to give you the time. Not even a thank you?" Nazaria stressed, "Did you ever think that if you keep going the way you have been, then you would leave everyone here in more trouble than they already are? You're supposed to be the leader, and a leader shouldn't make such foolish mistakes."

"I'm sorry-"

"An apology doesn't stop the damage that could have been done; only a change in lifestyle. I don't want to dive into that today, but I am here to help you address the problem of control you've been having. And don't you _dare_ tell me you can handle it, because if that were the case, then I wouldn't be here and she wouldn't be glaring at you." Nazaria said, gesturing towards Elena with only her eyes. "Now are you going to be ungrateful for this or are you going to use it as you should?"

"The latter."

"Good. Now follow me."

Nazaria stepped past Nyssa and walked towards the polished stone staircase that led up to the elevated platform. Nyssa briefly glanced back towards Elena, who gestured for her to follow. She knew there was nothing to lose, so she did as directed.

As soon as she was in the center of the platform, Nazaria spun around and faced Nyssa, who was standing at the opposite end of the platform and taking off her quiver and sword scabbard. Elena stood by her as if she was making sure that her friend couldn't weasel out of anything.

"Besides getting to and from the fjord, when was the last time you used your powers?" Nazaria questioned as Nyssa walked towards the center where she stood.

"November 24th, when Zayn, Andrew, and I were in Norway."

"How much was it used?"

"It was in moderation. I only used it in desperate moments."

"And what did you feel when you were using it? Freedom? Power?"

"Fear."

"Explain."

Nyssa hesitated for a moment and almost looked back towards Elena, but stopped herself before she could. "I knew beforehand that control was becoming increasingly difficult, but the situation demanded that I get over it. Everything went well at first, until I got up onto the roof of the palace. I saw where the shooter was and I had to get over there, so I….teleported, if that's even the right word-"

"It is." Elena piped up.

"Anyway," Nyssa muttered, "I intended to land on a flat part, but I ended up on the edge of one of the risen portions, and fell backward. That small incident was enough to make me rethink what I was going to do, so I decided to fight with my bow. It worked for a short amount of time, but it was insufficient for taking down my opponent, so I had to take the alternative. Every moment of that fight, I feared losing control, and it felt as though I was attempting to maintain a wildfire where at any moment it could lash out and cause more damage. I never wanted to use it again, especially after that fight."

"Why did you fear losing control? If you had, you could have harmed your enemy more."

"I could have also hurt bystanders below."

"Good, you still remember the people." Nazaria smiled, "But sometimes, allowing that wildfire to go free is how one can maintain control. By letting it go, you can experience how free it wants to be and if you can control it at that point. In fact, I want you to try that right now."

"What? I don't-"

"Take your best shot. Imagine me as your enemy."

"Are you sure-"

"If I wasn't sure about this, then I wouldn't be telling you to do it." Nazaria stated plainly, "Now go!"

Nyssa only stared for the first few moments of silence before hesitantly taking a few steps back. Nazaria didn't move a muscle in the near minute that Nyssa stalled, but her patience didn't run out.

Nyssa looked down at her hand and knew that there was no avoiding it, so she clapped her hands together. A small flame grew in her hand, and it became larger with every passing second. Nyssa looked up towards Nazaria, who gave a quick nod or reassurance. Again, Nyssa hesitated but didn't give into the feeling as she pushed her arm out in front of her. The flame hurled through the air, leaving a trail of blaze behind it. Nazaria stepped to the side just before she could be hit, and the flames blew through the area where she was standing before fading into the air.

Nazaria didn't look back to where the flames had died away. "Again!" To avoid yelling or a lecture, Nyssa did the exact same thing and again, Nazaria avoided the hit before it shot through the area where she had just been standing. "Again!" The priestess called. Nyssa repeated the sequence. "Again!"

Nyssa grumbled as she clenched her fist and released, creating another ball of fire in the palm of her hand, but before she could send it in Nazaria's direction, the flames grew larger. Nyssa kept her focus on the fire, attempting to reduce its size before she briefly looked up towards Nazaria, whose interest had been peaked. The fire grew larger with no sign of dying out, and before she had a chance to look towards Nazaria, it became too much to manage. This time without hesitation, Nyssa lifted her arm into the air and sent the fire straight up, where it became even larger before the flames disappeared in the air.

"Well now that we know that boundary," Nazaria began as she walked towards Nyssa, "I want you to fight me."

"With fire I presume." Nyssa said with a slight grumble.

"Yes, and any other ability you deem fit."

Nazaria stopped only an arm's length away from Nyssa, and despite the small bit of height Nyssa had on the priestess, it barely did anything to help her when Nazaria lunged forward with a hit aimed for Nyssa's head. The assassin immediately leaned backwards and ducked to the her opponent's side. Nazaria sent a barrage of high attacks towards Nyssa, and everytime, the assassin blocked them. Before Nazaria could make another hit, Nyssa lunged towards her arm to try and hit it, but Nazaria was quicker and pushed Nyssa back with a sudden kick.

"I told you to fight with fire!" Nazaria exclaimed as Nyssa stumbled back, "And I know you're going easy on me. Like you, I was a member of the first league, and I expect a challenge!"

Nyssa's brow furrowed as she stood back up and darted towards Nazaria, except instead of opting for defensive, she stole the offensive as soon as she sent flames hurling in the priestess's direction. The older woman stepped out of the way immediately, but safety didn't stay with her long before Nyssa began a series of kicks, with each hurling fire in Nazaria's direction. The priestess avoided them all, some just tagging the edges of her clothes, before Nyssa planted both feet back on the ground. The assassin didn't stay like that for long.

Nyssa hurled more fire in Nazaria's direction, like she had been told to do, but with every flurry, it grew even more uncontrollable, with some slipping from her fingers before she had even aimed. She didn't want to give into it, so she kept going. Nazaria ducked and side stepped to avoid the barrage of fire being sent towards her by Nyssa's roundhouse kicks, but when she saw a flurry growing larger than the rest, she barely had time to avoid it. Nazaria jumped out of the way just before the fire could hit her, but it continued to hurl backwards.

Elena had only just seen Nazaria jump out of the way before a golden flurry was the only thing she saw. Without thinking, the brunette dove to the floor right before she was hit.

Nazaria put herself back in a steady position while Nyssa stared in Elena's direction, but the assassin barely had time to respond when the priestess stole the offensive and began to aim her hits towards Nyssa's head. With every hit, Nyssa countered it with a block with her arm, but she still had to walk backward to avoid harm. Nazaria's hits became faster and faster, and Nyssa didn't have time to avoid a hit to the collarbone. She staggered backward and from just a quick glimpse, she could see the priestess preparing to hit. Without thinking, Nyssa created another flame in front of her, but it grew larger before she had a chance to gain any control. Nazaria continued to move forward, but when she was less than a foot away, the flames burst.

A bang echoed through the hall as the two were pushed back by the force. While Nazaria was only sent in the opposite direction and landed safely on the platform, Nyssa was thrown backward and off the edge, towards the pools of water below. She fell freely for only a few seconds before hitting the surface, making the water splash up and in all directions.

Elena briefly looked towards Nazaria, who was beginning to stand up, before rushing towards the back edge of the platform that looked over the pools where the sacred water from the waterfall collected. She didn't see Nyssa at first, so she instinctively ran down the stairs and to the edge of the pools underneath the overhang. She nearly tripped at the bottom of the stairs but continued to hurry to the underside. A wave of relief rushed over her body as soon as she rounded the corner when she saw Nyssa already standing on the stone ground, wringing the water out of the long edges of her overcoat.

"Nyssa," Elena breathed, "Thank god. Are you alright?"

Nyssa briefly looked up towards Elena, and just from the quick glance, Elena understood. "Am I alright?" Nyssa questioned, "You and Nazaria are the ones I nearly killed!"

"You didn't come close to killing either of us."

"Don't try to convince me otherwise."

"This time, it's you who's mistaken." Nazaria pipped up as she walked towards the two, "It's clear that there are some aspects lacking control, but now we know what to work with and-"

"No." Nyssa interrupted, "I'm not doing this again."

"Hate to break it to you Nyssa, but this is kind of necessary if you're going to continue using this magic." Elena pointed out.

"No, it's not. I'm not doing this again. Never again." Nyssa declared, "I nearly killed you both and that was in a controlled environment. The damage I could do elsewhere is too great a risk."

"I understand that you're frustrated," Nazaria reasoned, "But this will take time to master. As long as we practice-"

"You don't get it!" Nyssa snapped, "This _practice_ is making the situation worse! I do not know what you intended for me to gain from this, but if you were trying to convince me to never use these _abilities_ again, then you certainly succeeded."

"You're set of circumstances aren't helping you, Nyssa." Elena pressed, "If you did decide to abandon this completely, fulfilling your position here would be nearly impossible."

"My convenience is not worth risking people's safety."

"This is not about your convenience," Nazaria countered, "This is about your obligation to the league."

"My _obligation_ is not to carry around the fear of hurting another person unintentionally." Nyssa argued before brushing past Elena and Nazaria, "This was a naive idea."

"Nyssa!" Elena called, "Come back here!"

"What good would it do Elena?!" Nyssa shot back, "All I'm doing is putting more people at risk and I refuse to do that any longer!"

"We're trying to help you!"

"If you were really trying to help me, then you would leave this all alone, like I have been telling you to do!"

"So what, is this just your method of finding the easy way out?" Elena jeered, "Because this is a pretty shitty way of doing it!

"There is no way of getting out of this! No matter what I do, I'll have to live with this burden for the rest of my life, whether its ever address or left alone! And it's all part of the vicious cycle that this league has turned into; it only takes away aspects of someone's life and _never_ has it given something back, even from the time of the first league! But hell, that is not something one can just change. It has become something the league demands from all those who get involved, and I want _nothing_ to do with it."

"So what are you trying to say Nyssa?" Elena hesitated.

"I'm saying that I have had enough of this awful life."

Elena's expression that had been frozen by anger turned into shock as she and Nazaria stood side by side, watching Nyssa hurry out of the main hall until she disappeared down one of the corridors. All Elena could do was swallow the lump that had formed in her throat.

* * *

With her belongings gathered in a messenger bag lying on her desk, Nyssa turned and looked towards the stray books that couldn't fit and that she would have to carry by hand.

After the failed practice, Nyssa had found herself lost in the library, searching for any text that could give her more insight to the abilities she had claimed, yet come to fear. Elena, Nazaria, Zayn, nor Andrew came to try and talk to her, and she was thankful for that much.

Now as the clock read 6:00am, Nyssa knew that someone couldn't chase her down for going home at the same time she had been for the past few weeks. Before she was ready to go, Nyssa walked over to a bench that rested at the foot of her bed and took the sweater that was draped over the arm. She had prepared on another incident like earlier that morning by changing into street clothes, and Star City being Star City, she knew it would be cold.

Nyssa took the bag filled with books and swung it over her shoulder before taking the other small stack into her arms. A final glance around the room confirmed that she had everything, and Nyssa knew that there were no further ways to stall. She stepped into the center of the room and before she could talk herself out of it, Nyssa tapped her heel on the ground. A flurry of flames and embers began to form from the air, and as it rose high and higher into the air, Nyssa prayed she would at least wind up in her own city.

* * *

Despite elections being a little under a year away, Quentin already had Oliver preparing. Between meetings and normal mayor's duties, he was supposed to give more attention to the campaign. It was becoming more of a pain, but he knew it was necessary if he wanted to keep the city on the track of good change.

Now sitting at his own desk in the comfort of his warm home, Oliver kept his focus on the last few pages he had to read regarding the campaign. Even from his office chair, he could smell William's dinner from the kitchen; mac n' cheese. Oliver had told the freshman that he could do whatever he wanted for dinner since he had to finish things up for the office, and also because not every member of their family was home yet.

As the smell of his favorite childhood dinner drifted through the house, Oliver quickly formulated a plan to snag the leftovers as soon as William left the kitchen, but his thoughts were quickly pulled away when he heard the front door begin to unlock. Oliver immediately stood from his desk and waited another moment. As soon as he heard the door swing open, he darted out of the office and into the small hallway but stopped immediately when he saw who it was.

"Nyssa?"

The brunette jumped when he spoke and quickly turned towards him.

"Oliver," She breathed, "Sorry. I was not expecting you to be there."

"It's fine, but what's with the change of clothes?" Oliver questioned, "Did you go somewhere?"

"It has been an incredibly long and irritating day," Nyssa muttered, "And the walk here did not help."

Oliver didn't understand what she meant at first, but after a moment, it clicked. "And all the books are…"

"Homework."

"Fun."

"I would say otherwise," Nyssa sighed, "I have a long night ahead so I should probably get to work."

"Alright then," Oliver said, "I'll leave you to it."

Nyssa flashed a smile towards Oliver before walking through the family room and into the kitchen, where William was standing, stirring his mac n' cheese with one hand while adjusting his earbud with the other and watching a movie on his phone.

Nyssa didn't say anything as she passed through the kitchen and into the dining room. The dark walnut table was completely cleared off and clean, so she took a seat at the far end and began pulling the old books out of her bag after setting down the small stack she had carried inside. Each was much larger than a traditional book, but most still a reasonable thickness. Once all the books were laid out in front of her, Nyssa took one from the top of the stack and opened it to the first page. Already, the amount of small, Arabic writing was overwhelming, but she didn't wait to start reading.

Only a few minutes of reading the old text had passed when Nyssa saw someone walking into the dining room from the kitchen. She briefly glanced towards the side, but her focus was completely pulled away from the book when she saw Oliver approaching with two bowls.

"Before you got home, I made a plan to steal William's leftover mac n' cheese," Oliver said as he pulled out a chair and set the bowls on the table, "Fortunately, there was just enough left for two."

"Thank you beloved," Nyssa smiled.

"So what's this light reading for?" Oliver questioned while panning over the small stacks of books spread out on the table top. "Is this for the league?"

"Something like that…."

"Rough day?" Nyssa nodded. "Looks like we're in the same boat then."

"What went on in the office then?" Nyssa inquired, "You don't normally talk about when you have a particularly bothersome day."

"Between Quentin pressing the campaign for re-election and Tarren not giving me enough notice for an onslaught of security measures for events, it just became hectic."

"I know what you mean."

"I mean when you were still working in the security detail, didn't they have a requirement of giving the mayor and anyone else involved with the event's security a notice of the change at least three days in advance?"

"Yes, we had that in place."

"Well, it needs to be reenacted. Tarren barged into my office this afternoon and told me that he had to relocate part of the detail to the other side of the event less than _a day_ before I'm supposed to give that speech at the SCFD!" Oliver complained, but Nyssa had to turn away to suppress a laugh. "What?"

"I think Tarren has high expectation of you considering that he now knows about your _other job_ ," Nyssa quipped, "You cannot honestly expect Tarren of all people to plan in advance."

"I don't, but despite my night job, I still expect the same treatment as any other mayor."

"Speaking of the night job, who's on patrol tonight?"

"Thea and Roy decided to take it tonight."

"I thought Roy had left town last week."

"No, he's staying with Thea. He's dropped hints about it being a permanent change," Oliver answered, "I haven't seen him much, but Thea says that he's been helping Tara down in the bunker as of late."

"That sounds like a good place for him."

"Enough about Roy then," Oliver began, "You still haven't told me what made your day rough and why you brought a bunch of dusty books home."

"I haven't a clue where to begin," Nyssa admitted, "Elena has given me nothing but absolute hell today."

"Pregnancy hormones?"

"I wish that was just that," Nyssa muttered, "I ran into a problem today with getting to the fjord and instead of ending up where I should have been, I was in the northeast forest roughly five, perhaps six, miles away. I had to hike to the fjord and Elena gave me hell for getting there late, and then because I have tried to keep her out of, what she has been calling, the _magic_ situation."

"Sounds like hell, especially in her position."

"Sure, it could have been, but she hasn't grasped the idea that I have other things to worry about," Nyssa grumbled, "Here is a perfect example for you; I had a list of things to do, Zayn finds me and says he did almost everything on said list. I still believe that they haven't been done correctly, but he forced me to work with Nazaria and, as I had called, it went horribly!"

"I thought you had wanted to work with Nazaria."

"She's a wonderful teacher for this situation, but it was not the right time. She and Elena pushed me to practice what I had told them was a problem, and it backfired," Nyssa paused and swallowed. "I nearly killed both of them today and even after that, they still wanted me to keep going."

"But you didn't."

"Why would I? If I had, I would have put more people at a higher risk of becoming collateral damage." Nyssa defended before pausing, "I brought all these home because if I am unable to physically do something about it, then maybe there is something in here that could help with the mental aspect. I know it's foolish, considering that there wasn't much known about the subject in the beginning but I-"

"Nys," Oliver interrupted, "It's not stupid at all."

"The situation continues to grow more desperate and I don't think I would make a difference by reading these despite my best beliefs."

"Well, there's no harm in two sets of eyes still looking." Nyssa turned towards Oliver with a puzzled look. "You didn't think I'd like you do this on your own, did you?"

"No, I guess not."

"If we want to get any sleep tonight, then I suppose we should start reading," Oliver said as he picked up a book off the stack and opened to the first page. "And the mac n' cheese is getting cold."

Nyssa smiled as she readjusted herself and the book already in front of her. Having Oliver's support was all she had really hoped for, and now that she had it, the situation became slightly less annoying than it had been for the rest of the day.

* * *

"And if we were to expand the league's territory further north, then we wouldn't have this problem with the runway," Zayn explained from where he stood at Nyssa's side, facing the large screen where a bird's eye map of the league's fjord was displayed. "I've already pitched this to Andrew and Hayden, and they both believe this would be beneficial, but that brings me to the real point…"

"Let me guess," Nyssa intoned, "The funds."

"Yeah, funds."

"You are right about runway situation being resolved in that scenario, but you have accounted for the seasonal weather changes?"

"Yup, bitter winters and shitty summers," Zayn chimed, "I would never forget."

"You would need to take this up with Hayden again, but if you find the funds to do this, then it needs to go to the top of the list."

"This would cost well over a million."

"Then looks like you have some budgeting to work on if this is to become a reality."

"You don't suppose we could conveniently forget about one of Norway's payments to expand the runway?"

"Would you like to explain that to the king?"

"Gladly." Zayn stated, but Nyssa gave him a pointed look. "I'll start looking into those funds."

"Good." Nyssa stated plainly as she turned around.

"By the way," Zayn called, making Nyssa stop and turn back towards him, "When I was with Andrew earlier this morning, he said that he needed to speak with you about the Tanzania colony."

"You told me that everything regarding the troop was functioning without a problem."

"It is, but he still wanted to see you about it. You got the write up on that whole deal, right?"

"It's on my desk where you said you left it."

"You may want that for what Andrew needed you for."

"Do you know what it is that he needs?"

"No, I'm just saying."

"I will go get it then." Nyssa concluded.

"And I'll get to the glorious job of budgeting," Zayn grumbled, "Wait, don't we have people for this?"

"In some area of the tech department, I believe we do."

"Then why aren't they doing it?"

"Find them and you can ask. You are their superior after all."

Ignoring Zayn's grumbling, Nyssa turned around and stepped outside of the tech division's amphitheater. Like the previous day, her list was long with several things to check off, but also like yesterday, there was still tension between her and Elena. Neither had made an effort to see the other.

Nyssa walked through the corridors above the main hall, where the bedrooms of those with authority were located. Small windows gave a view of the other carved out halls and the wooden bridges that stretched across the water of the fjord. In the distance, planes could be seen taking off from the runway. Nyssa loved staring out those windows and watching the people below, but kept her focus on why she was there in the first place.

As soon as she stepped inside her own room, Nyssa walked towards the desk on the opposite wall. Like Zayn had told her, the slip of paper with information on the Tanzania colony was lying on top of other notebooks and stray papers. She picked the single sheet of paper, but then saw the addition sheets underneath. At least another five extra pages on the single colony and had been left for her. Just from skimming over the first few sections, Nyssa realized that a lot was missing from the general report. She knew this was what happened when you let someone else do the work.

Nyssa pulled open one of the drawers of the desk to find a pen, but the first one didn't have anything of the sort; only stacks of old papers and maps. She pulled open the second and third drawers, getting the same result as the first. Nyssa pulled open the fourth and final drawer, but instead of it being only old papers, a leatherback notebook tied shut sat on top. She stared down at it for a moment before reaching down and pulling it out of the drawer. There was no indication on the outside of what it was from, so she untied the leather string.

As soon as the front cover was opened, a folded map slipped out from the pages and fell to the ground. Nyssa reached down and picked up the weathered map, still unsure of what it was, and unfolded it on the desktop. As soon as the first few panels had been lifted, Nyssa knew what it was.

Nine scattered black dots, Nine red X's, The original league's insignia marked in northern Norway, and notes written in the border of the world map.

Nyssa picked the leather notebook up again and began to flip through the pages, immediately realizing what she had hidden away; The journal she had kept while retrieving the nine swords and during the first few months of the league's foundation.

All other priorities were lost as Nyssa pulled the desk chair out and sat down in it, already reading over one of the entries.

 _December 29th, 2017_

 _The expedition starts today, and even with the reassurance, this doesn't seem right. I have to leave Oliver and William in order to find the rest of the swords. They wouldn't understand that this is too dangerous for people like them to get involved in. My death was faked to make this make this expedition possible, but I have every intention of going back to them once this is settled._

 _I already have four of the swords, and I have another five to collect from four, potentially five, different locations. I stole a plane from an ARGUS warehouse to aid in the expedition, and although I have limited knowledge of how to fly it, the task seems relatively simple once I am familiar._

 _The first location is northern Canada, where the celestial sword is located. If retrieving it is like the previous four, then no troubles are expected._

Nyssa rolled her eyes at how easily she was deceived all those months ago.

 _January 2nd, 2018_

 _Four days into the journey and I am only just realizing how difficult this is going to be. I managed to collect the sixth sword; a sword of lightning, located on one of the Greek islands. It involved a more obscure way of obtaining, including taking on the persona of a Greek goddess. Before retrieving it, I met a woman who helped me get back on my feet after a small incident with finding shelter. I learned her name was Elena and met her husband Andrew. Before leaving, I promised that I would visit again some time._

 _The next location is in Cairo, specifically the pyramids, where the sword of illusions is hidden away. I have yet to create a plan to get it._

Nyssa quickly skimmed the next seven entries along with all the pages of notes she had taken whenever she learned something about the swords. The writing went by in a blur, but then she stopped on one of the final pages.

 _January 28th, 2018_

 _My expedition is complete. After collecting all nine swords, I traveled to northern Norway to a fjord located near a small town called Guvag. I did not interact with the people, but I can imagine that they saw my plane explode._

 _I had not understood what was needed to create the new league, but it involved an ancient magic that the creators of the first league were familiar with. That magic was used for a short amount of time before being stored in the nine swords, which were hidden around the world to preserve it for a time which they prophesied to be the date when the league would truly change. I do not know of this date or what will happen._

 _In the fjord, which I discovered is ancient ground for the league, the nine swords were merged. I believed that to be the only event, but the magic within the swords rests in the person who bonded them._

The entry went on for another two pages, but Nyssa stopped reading as soon as she came to that sentence. Even with all the reading she and Oliver had done the previous night, she didn't have a clue how to address her situation. But how she hadn't realized that the answer to her situation was with her the entire time made her feel like an idiot. She now knew how to fix everything, and only wished she had found her old notebook sooner.

* * *

Near silence filled the house. The patter of water droplets falling from the kitchen sink faucet had stopped, and the clock that hung on the wall provided the only sound. The ticking didn't help. With every passing second, Nyssa began to question if what she had decided to do was the right thing, but when her mind went back to seeing Elena barely avoiding the blaze that had been sent towards her, she knew her decision was best.

The clock had just struck 6:46pm when the front door began to unlock. Nyssa immediately stood up from where she had been sitting at the dining room table and walked into the kitchen, just in time to see William and Oliver walking into the house.

"Beloved?"

Both Oliver and William looked towards Nyssa, Oliver clearly more surprised.

"Nys, I didn't expect you to be home this early," he said, "What's going on?"

"I need to talk to you."

William quickly looked towards his father before looking back at Nyssa. "I'll go work on my homework then."

Oliver and Nyssa both watched the fourteen-year-old quickly walk up the stairs and disappear into his room, and only when his door was closed did Nyssa walk closer towards Oliver.

"Did something happen with the league?" Oliver asked quietly.

"That is what I want to talk to you about."

Oliver looked back up towards the stairs before gesturing for Nyssa to follow him. The two of them walked down the short hallway before reaching Oliver's office. He slid one of the doors, made of frosted glass and wood, to the side and stepped inside. Nyssa couldn't help but admire how clean her husband kept everything, but she had always found it cute that he kept small, fake plants on the built-in bookshelves behind the desk.

Oliver slid the door closed after Nyssa had walked in, and set his bag and jacket on the top of his desk before turning towards his wife. "What's going on?"

"All that stuff we read last night," Nyssa began, "Forget all of it."

"What? Why?"

"It's all useless. Those texts were teaching me how to control these abilities, but that is far from what I should do."

"Nyssa, I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"I can try to control them for as long as I want, but it will always be in the back of my mind and it would become a problem again in the future. I was so focused on the idea of controlling them that I never considered getting rid of them." Nyssa explained, "And I have decided to do it."

"You're what? I don't understand." Oliver hesitated. "You're _really_ going to do it?"

"I've had enough. It's time for a change in the league. No longer shall I wait for this to happen on its own and I will not allow it to become the center of my life. The league and its members are the priority, not the imprudent games I play when trying to control it and the obstacles that are brought forth."

"I understand but there could be a way to figure it all out. By doing this, you would force yourself to do things the hard way."

"Sometimes things need to be done the toilsome way."

"But I don't think you've considered all the angles. Maybe-"

"Oliver, it has been decided." Nyssa declared, "I'm destroying the nine swords."

"Do the others even know about this?" Oliver questioned, "Is this even safe? Because from what I recall, you're bonded to the swords."

"Zayn and Elena both know."

"And?"

"Zayn knows what problems these abilities have caused me, even from the beginning. Elena believed I was taking the easy way out, but I convinced her that an easy way out wasn't my motive." Nyssa answered, "They both support this."

"But I want to know if this is safe."

"I experienced no harm when I was originally bonded with the swords. I do not expect it to now."

"How would you even do this?" Oliver asked, "How much of this have you planned out or have you really planned out any?"

"Nazaria and Zayn both agreed to help me figure this out."

"Nyssa," Oliver muttered as he stepped closer to her, "I want the best for you, but this seems too impulsive and risky. No one knows what breaking that bond could do. In addition to not knowing the effects, it….it would fracture this family."

Nyssa looked up towards Oliver warily and confused. "What do you mean?"

"You've gotten so busy with things for the league and you get home a couple hours before midnight. William really only sees you a few minutes before we have to leave. I don't even see much of you apart from the small amount of time in the morning and any extra minutes we get when you come home. For the past weeks when I go to the bunker to begin a patrol, you're supposed to be at my side; I've had to call John away from his family or Dinah away from her life for backup when you're not here." Oliver swallowed. "Of all the things that have come from the creation of the league, the only positive thing I can see now is your ability to get between here and Finiks Jurf like it's a drive to work every day. That portion is….a blessing. It's been the only thing keeping this family together. And Nyssa," Oliver muttered as he rested his hands on her shoulders, "I know the league means so much to you, and I know that it's done amazing things for so many people, but as soon as you break the bond, you have to choose; the league, or me and William."

"Oliver-"

"I want to support you Nyssa, I really do, but as a father, I have to support my family as a whole. And think about William. He's been through more in a few years than most go through in their entire lives. He lost his mother, the only one who cared for him for nearly eleven years. He was left feeling broken for the longest time, and some counselors thought he would never be able to function normally again. I never thought he would bond with you the way he has. He loves you Nys, like a son loves his mother. Can you take that away from him?"

"No, no I would never…."

"When you break that bond, you would be forced to chose the league. The flight here is too long to deem a weekend a suitable amount of time for a son to spend time with his mother, and quite frankly, it wouldn't be the same. Phone calls can only go so far to maintain a relationship….."

Nyssa's breath shook and although she tried to keep it hidden, Oliver saw it all. "I would make sure that none of that happens." She reasoned.

"How?"

"I-I don't know…."

Silence passed between them and Oliver bit the bottom of his lip as he turned his head to the side. "Please, Nyssa," He mumbled, "Just….don't jump right into this…."

Nyssa bit the bottom of her lip and nodded. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, each lost in the other's eyes until Nyssa pulled away. She pushed the sliding door to the side and before closing it behind her, glanced back at her husband once more.

As soon as the door was closed, Nyssa hurried away from it and back into the kitchen. She took her phone off the counter and immediately walked towards the glass door leading out to the deck, stepping past the area where the Christmas tree would have been set up, if the family had been together to do it.

The bitter December air nipped at Nyssa's arms, her sweater not doing anything to protect her against the cold. Nyssa turned on her phone and quickly dialed one of the numbers she had memorized. She held the phone up to her ear and covered her mouth with her hand as the seconds passed by before someone picked up.

"Nyssa, why are you-"

"Elena, tell Zayn and Nazaria to stop looking into breaking the swords' bond." Nyssa ordered.

"Wait, what? I thought this was what you wanted."

"Please, just tell them to stop."

"An explanation would be helpful."

"You will have one tomorrow."

"Wait, Nys-"

Nyssa pulled the phone down and hung up before her sister in arms could ask any other questions. It wasn't the night, and as she looked out at the city lights so far in the distance, she was reminded just how alone she was. And for the first time during the whole ordeal, a tear slipped down her cheek. No one understood the kind of hell the situation was incurring.

* * *

The hours of the night had dragged on for Nyssa, and even with her difficulty sleeping the previous night, she was wide awake. What would happen once she got to the league was something even she couldn't predict, especially after her talk with Oliver. By no means did she consider it a fight, but the distancing aspect still affected Nyssa, and as she leaned against the counter, drinking her tea like she did every morning, it was all she could think about until a set of footsteps came from the stairs.

Nyssa knew from the lightness of each step that it was William and didn't look up from her tea until he was walking to the cabinet where the cereal two cereal boxes were kept. He pulled out his preferred option and sat down at the counter after taking a bowl and the jug of milk from the fridge.

"Morning." Nyssa greeted.

William briefly looked up from his breakfast. "Morning."

The two of them stayed silent as William prepared his bowl of cereal, and Nyssa expected Oliver to be walking downstairs at any minute, but he didn't come. He was usually the reason she didn't start long conversations with William, only now Oliver's presence would have been her salvation.

Nyssa stood in silence, trying to keep her gaze limited to her cup and the gray socks that covered her feet, but every time William's spoon hit the side of the bowl, she quickly glanced up. Seeing him there in front of her had become such a regular thing, but then she imagined if he wasn't there with his cereal, and if he wasn't at the counter eating dinner and telling tales from his day at school, or if he wasn't constantly asking her and Oliver when he could go out in the field. The simplest things had become what Nyssa looked forward to every day, not anything having to do with the league.

The minutes had gone by too fast, and Nyssa only realized when William was putting his bowl in the sink. He leaned down and took his backpack from the floor, and looked towards the portion of the balcony on the second level, waiting for his father to come down and make his coffee so they could leave.

"William?" Nyssa only realized that she had said that aloud when the young boy turned around to face her, but his stare was unintentionally intimidating and she had to look down before continuing. "I want to apologize."

William raised his eyebrow slightly. "What for?"

"For not being the mother figure that you deserve."

"What do you mean?"

"I….You deserve far better than what I've been trying to give you." Nyssa answered gently, "For so long, I have tried to balance two lives that should remain separate and you are always the one that falls into the darkest end. I haven't been there for you like a mother should and I regret every moment that I'm not being there like you deserve." William didn't say anything, and Nyssa swallowed. "When I married your father, part of our vows was to be there to support one another, as well as the family we raise. You are that family, William, and I have not lived up to my vow. I want to be here for you and I haven't been able to, but I am going to make sure that changes."

"I thought you couldn't," William stated, "Because of the league."

"The league is no longer my priority. You and your father will always come first, but I lost sight of that these last few months. I'm not the perfect mother figure, but I hope that I can learn to be...for you."

"You're going to be here more?"

"As much more as a mother should be."

"Oh…"

"What's wrong?"

"It's fine."

"William, please," Nyssa begged, "I want to hear what you have to say."

"You've been gone for so long, and at one point, you were like a mother to me, but now you're….just a figure. I never see you apart from the few minutes before I leave, and you don't talk about what goes on in the league unless you're alone with Dad. I miss when we would all be together, like a family should be, no matter how broken the members are…"

"I miss that too, and I promise that we will do that again, just like we used to."

"I know enough about the league to know that it's unpredictable. How can you make that promise with the intent to keep it?"

Nyssa began to open her mouth but paused for a moment. "Because I want a second chance bad enough to do whatever it takes to see it done." She answered, "William, I know our relationship isn't the best, but I would do anything for a second chance to be the figure you deserve, not the one that makes work a priority. Please….just think-"

"I'm willing to give it a second chance." William finished, "Because you're not the only one who wants it."

Nyssa couldn't help but smile at the boy, and William's smile towards her was all she needed to see to know that things would work out, no matter how much work it would take on her part. But their moment was cut short when Oliver walked into the kitchen and began making his coffee, rambling about how the potential rain in the afternoon could negatively affect his speech that he had worked hard on for weeks. Nyssa and William both smirked at his remarks and the occasional bad mouthing of Tarren, but it was just what Nyssa needed to hear to realize that this was where she would find comfort that the league was incapable of providing. It was the simple things, and the league had always been far from simple.

* * *

The sun had already begun to set, despite it still being early in the evening. The winds had picked up considerably in the last few days, and it barely affected the assassins that traveled in between the grand halls that had been built into the side of the fjord.

Although she had only been in Finiks Jurf for less than an hour, it already showed signs of being a long day when she had to hike to the fjord like she had the last two days. As soon as she arrived, almost an hour late, she began making her normal list of things to do, but like the past week, it was long with not a single thing to look forward to.

The first thing that was, regrettably, on her list was checking in with the commanders-in-training. As far as Nyssa was concerned, no change had been made in the methods so it was going to be just as slow and frustrating as it had been the past few weeks.

As Nyssa walked into the grand hall dedicated to training new recruits, and for others to practice, no one seemed to notice her, and that was more than fine by her, but the momentary peace ended when a set of footsteps came up from behind. She turned around, expecting to see Zayn or Andrew, but was surprised to see someone else entirely.

"Ishaq?" Nyssa questioned.

"Nyssa," The assassin with graying brown hair breathed, "You're needed in the main hall."

"What for?"

"There's something going down. Something big."

"And what would that be?"

"I don't know. I couldn't tell. All I saw was a man who wasn't part of the league. I believe he's from Oslo."

"Damn it," Nyssa mumbled, "Alright."

"He was wearing a large coat with the Norwegian flag on the sleeve, and he was talking with Zayn." Ishaq reported, "From the sound of things, it was regarding something very important."

"Alright, just stay here and keep an ear open in case something happens."

Nyssa quickly stepped past the middle-aged assassin and made her way out of the training division. The bitter winds bit at her cheeks as soon as she stepped out into the cold, but she ignored it and hurried towards the main hall.

As soon as she stepped inside, warmth washed over her body, but she didn't take time to enjoy it because up ahead towards the risen platform was a group of people, two of them being Zayn and the man in the Norwegian coat.

At the sound of footsteps, Zayn turned away from the man, and the group, and looked towards Nyssa. "Nyssa, hey," he greeted, "We've been waiting for you."

"I can imagine," Nyssa grumbled, "Why is an official from Oslo here?"

"Official from Oslo?" The man in the coat questioned as he turned around, "Do I look that Norwegian?"

"Cisco?" Nyssa questioned as she turned to Zayn, "What the hell is going on? And why is he wearing a Norwegian official's coat?"

"I was cold." Cisco piped.

"And I needed his help with something." Zayn answered.

"And what would that something be?" Nyssa coaxed.

"A project."

"You usually go all in and tell me the details of your projects. Why is this one different?"

"Because it wasn't Zayn's idea to bring him here," Someone from the group pitched as they turned around, "It was mine."

"Elena, what are you doing?" Nyssa asked, "What is all of this?"

"Well your phone call yesterday certainly raised some questions, quite a few in fact," Elena began, "But did you really think that just because you told us to, we were going to forget about the whole bond breaking?"

"Yes."

"And now you know that you were wrong. I told Zayn and Nazaria, like you had asked, but they insisted to make it happen. Zayn was the one that realized that the _only_ reason you wanted us to stop was because you had a family back in Star City."

"I worked with Star Labs in the past," Zayn piped up, "So I got in contact with my old buddy Cisco and we were able to make something to help with the situation."

"And what would that be?" Nyssa intoned.

"Do you know Kara Danvers?" Cisco asked, "Supergirl? Earth 38?"

"She attended my and Oliver's wedding with her sister Alex."

"Well, she was only able to get there because of a little something I made." Cisco stepped forward and reached into the pocket of the thick jacket and held something out towards Nyssa. "This is an interdimensional extrapolator. We made one for Kara that would allow her to move between our earth and hers. I made that one so you couldn't travel between worlds, but rather Star City and here."

"That would solve your problem of not being able to see Oliver and William once you break the bond." Nazaria piped from the back of the group.

"Well go on!" Cisco urged, "Test it out."

Nyssa gave him a strange look. "Now?"

"No, tomorrow when I'm not here to fix something. Yes now."

Nyssa took the extrapolator from Cisco and traced over the button with her finger before taking a few steps back. She hesitated at first but pressed down on the silver button. Instantly, a breech opened just a few feet away from her and the group. Nyssa couldn't see the other side to where she was jumping to but knew that Cisco wouldn't have done something wrong, and before she could persuade herself to back out, she jumped through.

It felt as though she had just jumped in place when her feet hit the ground. The breach instantly disappeared behind her and as Nyssa looked up from the ground, she couldn't help but smile; she was home, exactly where she wanted to be. The map with all the scribblings was pinned to the wall across from her, and the small desk with the wooden chair pushed it was exactly how she had left it.

She knew that something like this was possible, but to experience it brought a whole new meaning and because of it, she could now have the best of both worlds.

To avoid wasting any more time, Nyssa pressed down on the button again and jumped through the breach as soon as it appeared in front of her. When her feet hit the ground, she was back in front of the group.

"It actually worked," Nyssa breathed, "I was back at home."

"Well then," Elena piped, "Do you still want to stand here and fathom at the marvels of modern technology or break that damn bond?"

Nyssa looked towards Nazaria. "Is it even possible?"

"More than possible," The priestess replied, "The process is much simpler than I anticipated. You have the sword?"

"Yes."

"Then let's begin."

Nazaria broke away from the group and led everyone up to the platform. Once they were up, Elena, Zayn, and Cisco all took to the side, while Nyssa followed Nazaria to the center. The priestess stopped in the very center of the platform, where circular designs were carved out in the floor beginning from the outside of the middle ring. Nazaria knelt down next to the ring and ran her fingers over its border.

"When the league's number increased, I had the ring covered with stones that would naturally blend in with the preexisting ground," Nazaria explained. She stopped tracing the ring and looked back towards Zayn. "Bring a bowl of water." While the Canadian quickly walked down the stairs to fulfill the command, Nazaria turned and looked up towards Nyssa. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I have never been more sure of something in my life." The assassin answered.

"It's a shame, really," The priestess began, "To have abilities as extensive as yours have been is more than just a blessing. All they could be used for is limitless, and I feel as though you were barely tapping into your potential when you came to this block."

"I know that I am just not the type that is suited to handle something like this and I am sure that I would have been able to help more people, but at what point before it takes more from me than it already has?"

"Magic is still a wonderful thing," The priestess muttered, "No matter how wild or unpredictable."

"I don't know what you need this for, but is this enough?" Zayn asked as he approached from behind.

He set a bowl of water on the ground next to Nazaria, and she smiled. "Perfect. Now let's begin."

The priestess took the bowl and poured the water into the ring, letting it flow out until it reached the borders. She pulled the bowl back and waited, staring down at the ring. A few seconds passed by before the water began to soak into the borders of the ring, making several small circle stick out from the rest of the stone.

"Zayn, come back here." The priestess ordered. Zayn stepped up from where he had been standing behind her and looked down at her as she pulled a knife from a hidden sheath on her black georgette and silk dress. "Help pry up the stones outlined by the water."

Zayn and Nyssa both drew a knife and knelt down next to the priestess. Each time a knife was shoved between the stone cover and the ground, it had to be pushed up in order to pry the stone layer up. Within a few minutes, 18 circular pieces of stone had been pried up and discarded to the side, revealing the diamond-like crystals underneath that could fit perfectly in one's palm.

"Woah," Zayn muttered, "How long have these been here?"

"Since this fjord was discovered by the original founders of the league." Nyssa replied.

"Ancient, but barely relevant," Nazaria stated before looking up towards the ceiling. "That's what will make the difference."

Zayn and Nyssa both looked up towards the ceiling and saw what Nazaria was staring at; the large, quartz-like crystal fixated above them as if it was a chandelier.

"The ring is merely decoration in this point," Nazaria intoned while standing up from the ground. "Zayn, step back. Nyssa, draw the sword."

Zayn and Nyssa both stood up from the ground, but Zayn stepped around Nazaria and leaned towards Nyssa. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he whispered.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Nyssa muttered, "If I did not want to do this, then it would not be happening and I would be yelling at trainees."

"Alright."

As Zayn stepped away from the two women, Nyssa drew her sword out of the scabbard on her back. She glanced down at it, expecting to hesitate, but no similar feeling came.

"Place the sword in the ring." Nazaria instructed.

Nyssa did as directed and set the sword in the center of the ring, but as soon as she did, Nazaria stepped ahead and shoved her backward. With the assassin out of the way, Nazaria reached into a small, black pouch on the side of her black and gold belt. From it, she pulled out three vials, each containing a powder that looked like cinnamon, except each was colored differently. Nazaria emptied each vial over the sword and put the empty containers back into the pouch before turning towards Nyssa again.

"Give me your hand." She instructed.

Nyssa hesitantly stepped next to Nazaria and took off her black glove, but as soon as it was off, the priestess grabbed her hand and drug the blade of her knife across Nyssa's palm. The assassin flinched but was more confused as Nazaria knelt down towards the ring and dragged her knife across the blade of the sword, leaving Nyssa's blood on her sword.

"What the hell is that for?" Nyssa demanded.

"A man named John Constantine was the one who rediscovered this technique of bond breaking, but perfected it." Nazaria explained, "In his interpretation, the blood of the bonded is needed to complete the ritual."

Nyssa didn't say anything else as Nazaria took her place at the edge of the ring and extended her hands out to the sides. The assassins and Cisco all watched her curiously as she inhaled and exhaled several times before chanting something in a language that none of them could identify. Her voice quickly became louder and as soon as her voice reached its peak, the 18 crystals in the ring began to glow a golden shade. From their centers, lines of gold branched out, crossing underneath the sword and beyond the limits of the crystals to form a summoning circle.

The priestess began to chant louder when she saw the summoning circle, and gradually, the sword lying in the center rose into the air, hovering above the circle and the second one forming underneath it. The powders that had been on the sword had stayed on the ground but began to swirl around the bottom summoning circle as the sword rose higher into the air.

Nyssa, Elena, Zayn, and Cisco all watched the sword as it rose higher, but once it was only around eight feet in the air, it began to split into small fragments that continued to move upwards towards the crystal fixated on the ceiling.

While standing there watching the weapon become nothing more than small particles, Nyssa felt a prickling from her feet. She quickly looked down, and like the sword, her boots were fracturing and the bits were disappearing up into the air. The fracturing moved up her legs, and as that layer was removed, Nyssa could partially see what was being revealed underneath but was only able to confirm her suspicion once the ember-like fractures moved across and up from her arms.

The collection of dust-like particles from the two sources rushed upwards towards the crystal and disappeared in it, then everything went still for a moment.

The moment of stillness was brief and was brought to an end when nine distinct beams of light shot down from the crystal above. Together, the beams formed a circle around the ring made of small crystals and from inside each beam, the assassins could see the shape of a sword materializing.

Nazaria's chant ended suddenly when she pulled her arms down, and everything mystical stopped immediately. The summoning circles that had been created in the ring disappeared and the nine beams of light vanished as if someone had blown them all out. And in place of the nine beams were nine pedestals, each with a sword resting in it.

Nyssa tore away from the pedestals and looked down at what her attire had become. Instead of it being the gray and gold trimmed overcoat, her attire had reformed into what it had been the day she merged the swords; her old, tattered and torn league attire, colored black and scarlet.

"So these were the nine swords…" Elena muttered as she walked towards one, "I didn't think this would actually be possible."

"You all doubt the capabilities of magic far too much." Nazaria stated while looking around the new ring of swords, "And I would expect the opposite considering what you had just witnessed. Nyssa," she called, and Nyssa looked towards her. "Did it work?"

The assassin snapped herself out of the daze she had fallen into and looked down at her hands. She clapped once, the same way she had when she last practiced with Nazaria, but there was no fire. Nyssa clapped again, and a third time, but no fire was sparked.

"Yes," Nyssa breathed as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips, "Yes, it worked." For good measure, Nyssa tapped her heel and only smiled brighter when no fire rose from ground.

"Hate to ruin this milestone," Elena piped, "But what do we do with all of these?" she asked while gesturing towards the nine weapons.

"I want them all destroyed." Nyssa declared immediately, but as soon as she did, the others looked towards her. "They are all too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands, even if it is just one of them. And even if someone deemed capable were to find these, their life would change for the worse. If I can prevent that, then I want to." She glanced towards Zayn. "Can you destroy these?"

"I think with the right amount of heat, destroying anything is possible," Zayn answered. He stepped next to one of the pedestals and swiftly pulled one of the swords out. "But these are really good quality. The craftsmanship alone is worth all the admiration."

"Don't grow attached Zayn." Elena teased.

"You can't honestly believe that destroying these would be like destroying an old, _ordinary_ weapon."

"I don't think that, but I still think that you shouldn't grow attached to them."

Zayn and Elena's banter became like a white noise as Nyssa walked past them and towards the other side of the ring of pedestals, where Cisco stood examining one of the swords. From a quick glance, Nyssa recognized the one he was staring at as the sword of illusion; one of her personal favorites, but one of the more difficult to obtain.

"Cisco?"

When his name was called, Cisco jumped and quickly took his hand away from the sword as he looked towards Nyssa. "Hi, what. Sorry," He cleared his throat. "Can I touch these?"

"There is no reason why you can't." Nyssa answered.

"Nice," He immediately went back to the sword, tracing over the intricate designs of the handguard. "This is a _very_ nice weapon."

"Thank you?"

"Your lab buddy told me a little about these swords as individuals but, in all honesty, he's terrible at retelling. Where did this one come from?"

"Egypt. Cairo specifically."

"Interesting…." Cisco muttered as he reached towards the blade of the sword. He tapped the side and immediately pulled his finger away.

"While you were still here," Nyssa began, "I want to thank you, for the-"

"Way to see Oliver and William?"

"Yes. You haven't a clue how it has already changed so much for the better."

"Well, it was a very quick but interesting side project." Cisco admitted, "Plus it was a good way to get away from Central City."

"Is something happening there?"

"Normal Central City drama; metas, mysterious villains with kind of cool names, and the now-normal time travel of speedsters who just so happen to be family."

"Sounds like fun."

"Hm, tell me about it." Cisco mumbled with an eye roll. "Anyway, I should probably get back pretty soon."

"Well thank you again, and if you ever need to get away from Central City, you are always welcome here."

"I'll keep that in mind," Cisco replied. He began to walk down the stairs, but halfway down, he turned back around towards Nyssa. "And can I keep this coat?"

"Go ahead."

Cisco nodded as he continued down the stairs, and once he was at the bottom, he opened a breach and jumped through it, leaving no trace behind. Nyssa turned back towards the center of the platform, where Zayn and Elena were still bickering and Nazaria was examining the pedestals.

"You can't seriously believe that you can get away with keeping one of these." Elena argued.

"I'm not saying that I'm going to hide one away," Zayn retorted, "What I am saying is that a weapon designed in a similar fashion would give us a major advantage in the field for when a situation grows more difficult to cope with."

"And if the opponent gets ahold of said weapon?"

"They wouldn't."

"MmHmm," Elena hummed as she glanced over towards Nyssa, "Honestly Nyssa, what are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" Nyssa questioned.

"That whole…." Elena looked over her friend head to toe. "Get up."

"I-"

"You know," Zayn called from where he was pulling a sword out of a pedestal, "I doubt you want to keep fighting in that, and I bet Namir has something he can hook you up with."

"I suppose I should go see him then." Nyssa decided.

"Yes," Elena muttered, "Please do before you draw more attention to yourself."

"Since when have you concerned yourself with something like that?"

"Since my friend started walking around in literal tatters." Elena stated plainly, "Just go see Namir before the wind blows a little too hard."

"They are not that tattered." Nyssa muttered, but Elena turned her head and glared. "I will go see him then."

"Good."

As soon as Nyssa had her back to Elena, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. The fact that she would pick that of all things to pick at after what had just happened bothered Nyssa, but she didn't dwell on it. Despite what had happened and how free she felt, there was still work to do around Finiks Jurf, and the day had only just begun.

* * *

The laboratory was empty and nearly silent. Distant voices on the other side of the thick walls became whispers, but it didn't bother Zayn as he continued to scribble down notes in a small binder. He continuously looked up towards the industrial kiln as the hum of the gas being blown inside filled the room. From the hazy window on the side, he could see the glow of the pale, golden blaze inside.

His peace and quiet were short lived when there was a light knock from the doorway. Zayn turned his head around but wasn't surprised to see Nyssa walking inside, still wearing her tattered clothes but holding a few pieces of folded clothing under her arm.

"How is this project going?" Nyssa asked as she stopped at his side.

"Took a few hours to get it prepared," Zayn answered, "It would have been helpful to know that these swords are composed of a tungsten alloy. That kiln is working near its peak temperature to melt those swords down."

"What temperature?"

"4000 Kelvin."

"Good thing you insisted on investing in this one."

"This isn't the only thing we use the kiln for."

"I'm aware."

Momentary silence passed between them as Zayn continued to scribble down notes in the binder. Nyssa continued to stare at the hazy window and the pale blaze coming from inside.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Zayn questioned, "Because I can still pull these out with minimal damage."

"I heard your banter with Elena," Nyssa began, "Apparently you did not want to destroy the swords, and you know that I am committed to seeing their destruction, so what is your attachment to them?"

"Those are ancient relics burning away in there. They hold thousands of years of league history and they're being burned away. Perhaps a single person couldn't control all their power, but if they were given to nine individuals, imagine the good they could do."

"Having nine metas who could turn on the league or the people they serve at any moment is not a risk that would be worth taking. There are other means by which we could aid those we work to serve."

Silence passed between them again.

"So how have the past few hours been with Namir?" Zayn asked.

"You were right in regards with him being able to help," Nyssa admitted, "It took a while, but I have a replacement."

"And you're still wearing the old, tattered clothes?"

"I had other things to address first."

"Well stop putting it off. There's a bathroom just down the hall where you can change."

"Nothing interesting is going to happen here?"

"Nothing until the swords are completely destroyed, which will be in a few hours."

"I will be back in a few minutes then."

Zayn nodded in reply and watched Nyssa leave the laboratory from the corner of his eye. As soon as she was gone, he stepped closer towards the kiln and leaned down so his eyes were directly in front of the hazy window. He could only peer in for a few seconds before he had to look away, but he caught a glimpse of the swords silhouettes; all nine of them, slowly melting away into nothing more than metallic puddles.

A few minutes of staring at the kiln passed before the door behind opened up again. Zayn immediately turned around, putting him face to face with Nyssa. Her new garb was much different than her old gray and gold one, as it was more based on the traditional league uniform that had lasted through both versions of the league. Like the traditional uniform, it was primarily black, only Nyssa's version looked more customized. From the knee-high black boots and mahogany colored pants to the black, sleeveless overcoat trimmed in blood red that reached the center of her thigh in the front, it was perfect. An onyx colored belt rested around her waist, and a near identical quiver strap stretched up over her shoulder. A quiver made to hold both arrows and her bow had been made. From just a quick glance, Zayn could tell that her bracers and the inside of her overcoat could hold knives, but he knew that she would always hide the most deadly in her boot.

"Well, it's certainly a day of change for you." Zayn remarked with a slight smile.

"I am going to take that as a compliment," Nyssa retorted, "To fit with the rest of this, Namir designed a knife that I could easily hide and use. According to him, it will be better than the ones I had made last year."

"If he holds up the same standards he always has, then I believe they will be," Zayn said before raising an eyebrow, "Where's your sword? Isn't that your thing?"

"Namir offered to make one, but I have one back at the bunker in Star City that I would prefer to use."

Zayn smirked. "You're using your old sword?"

"Going back to basics I suppose," Nyssa replied, "And quite honestly, I prefer it over the sword I had used. Longswords do not have the same benefits as scimitars."

"I agree, but I'm partial to throwing knives," Zayn admitted, "So what else on your list of things to mark off the list today?"

"Small things really, but I need to find Elena soon."

"Why?"

"Personal reason."

"Ah, are you two coordinating a shopping trip or something?"

"I wish it were something that simple."

"Well whatever it is, you should probably get going soon. It's nearly two in the morning here which means it's about five in the evening back in Star City. If you only have small things to address from here on out, wouldn't you rather get home sooner?"

"It's Friday night…." Nyssa muttered.

"Yeah, in Star at least."

"Friday night….I have to go," Nyssa said as she quickly made her way towards the door. "Thank you for the reminder!"

"Wait, what's significant about Friday night?" Zayn called, but she was already out of earshot, and he was left alone again with only the hum of gas being blown into the kiln.

* * *

The training hall was nearly deserted. Those with normal schedules had retired for the night hours ago, leaving only the night owls. There were very few of those in Finiks Jurf that enjoyed training in the dead of night, and it allowed for others to peacefully stroll through the area with only their thoughts. But the only one who did that was Elena.

As she walked through the hall, she passed several racks were different styles of swords, knives, and staffs were mounted. Most of them were meant for only training, but no matter the simplicity, Elena wished she could take one of them and spar like she had been able to a few months in the past. Walking around the fjord and occasionally yelling at people had lost its appeal, and as much as she enjoyed the thought of finally being able to hold her children, there were times when she wished she could have her old life back.

"Not many people walk these halls at this hour."

Elena stopped in her tracks and quickly turned around, expecting a fight, but relaxed when she saw Nyssa approaching.

"It's just you." She breathed, "Thought you were someone else."

"And who would that be?" Nyssa questioned.

"No one important to you."

Nyssa nodded slowly, watching as Elena turned back around and began walking in the opposite direction. "What are you doing here this late?"

"Early," Elena corrected, "I couldn't sleep, so I came here."

"You miss this, don't you."

Elena continued to walk forward, running her fingers over the racks. "More than I thought I would…" She swallowed, attempting to stop her voice from breaking. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you."

"And why's that?"

"Because I want to apologize."

"What would you be apologizing for?"

"For what I said at the practice." Nyssa admitted, "I got out of hand. You were just trying to help me….and I'm sorry I did not see that sooner."

Elena was completely silent as she continued to walk forward, each step slow and steady. She knew Nyssa was only a few feet behind her, waiting for an answer, but she couldn't say anything.

"Did you really mean it?" Elena asked, "When you were talking about the league's nature."

"I was frustrated-"

"Frustration tends to bring out one's real emotions."

Elena expected an answer, but when one didn't come, she stopped and turned around, where she saw Nyssa standing completely.

"Nys-"

"I meant it," Nyssa admitted, "I meant every word, and I'm sorry. Between trying to control that god awful….magic thing, and the pressure of getting everything done for both Norway and the league, I just wanted to….take it out on someone, and I'm sorry that you were that someone."

"This entire time, you've expected that you have to do _everything_ on your own?"

Nyssa shrugged. "No one else has been able to do it."

"No. No one's been able to do it the way _you_ want it done."

"The way I want it done is the way it should be done."

"But it's not the only way," Elena stressed, "Nys, people have been trying to help you and you keep pushing them away. I understand that it's not done exactly how you want it done, but you have to allow room for interpretation or else you're going to be stuck in this position. I know that you think we don't do it as best as it could be done, but Nyssa, there's a time when you have to step back and realize that it's good enough. Not everything you do is going to be perfect, and yeah, sometimes it's going to get a bit messy."

"Those messes are what have thrown the league into chaos."

"I know, and we always fix it, don't we?" Elena asked, "People want to help you Nys; I want to help you because every time I see you here working on something that could be done by someone else, I feel bad for you, but mostly for Oliver."

"I know….I do too…"

"He's your husband Nys, and think about your son. You spend so much time here doing the exact same thing you've been doing for your entire life, but you're wasting the precious memories you could be making with your family. For once in your life, put the league second and your own life first." Elena urged, "The league will always be here the next day, but William's years with you and Oliver will pass by quicker than you can ever imagine."

"I came here to apologize, but you don't know how much I needed to hear this," Nyssa began, but couldn't manage to hide the tears that threatened to slip from the hold she was trying to keep on them. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, but Nys, I want you to promise me something."

"Anything."

"Promise me that you'll let me help you. Because, honestly, walking around this place and having people tell me I'm incapable of doing things because I'm pregnant is getting quite annoying."

Nyssa couldn't help but smile. "I promise."

"Good, then I guess I will see you around here for the next hour or so." Elena said as she began to turn and walk away.

"Actually, I need to get back to Star City."

Elena smiled as she turned back around. "Then why are you still here? Oliver and William are waiting, aren't they?"

Nyssa beamed as she reached into a pocket in her overcoat and pulled out the extrapolator.

"And Nys," Elena spoke, and Nyssa glanced towards her. "You look good."

Nyssa smiled. "I guess that means I will see you tomorrow?"

"Up and ready to work."

Elena took a step back as Nyssa pressed the button on the extrapolator, and a breach opened just a few feet away from them. Nyssa looked towards her friend and smiled and jumped through the breach soon after. It closed as soon as she had disappeared through it, and Elena was left alone again. But now with something to look forward to, she began to walk out of the hall, knowing that tomorrow was going to be better.

* * *

Dark clouds covered the sky as small drops of rain fell to the ground and splashed on the sidewalks, but it didn't dim the light coming from the high school ahead of her. Nyssa walked along the sidewalk of the nearly empty parking lot, keeping her head down and coat pulled across her body until she came to the glass doors. She stopped in place, staring at the lit, but empty, lobby inside for a moment before turning around. There in the front row of the parking lot was Oliver's car.

Nyssa stepped up to the doors and pulled one of them open, letting it close on its own as she stepped inside. It seemed as though no one was inside as she walked towards the front desk, where four clipboards were laid out. She quickly read over the names of teachers and room numbers until she found the one that William had mentioned. To her relief, there was a map of the school next to the boards, and after a quick glance, Nyssa walked away from the desk and towards the hallway that would lead her to where she needed to be.

Nyssa rounded several corners until she found herself in a long hallway with each side lined with classroom doors, but just a few doors down was who she had been looking for. Still in his suit and tie, Oliver sat on a wooden bench, stuck in a daze as he stared at the bulletin board mounted on the wall across from him.

"Am I late?"

Oliver quickly turned to his side, but his eyes widened when he saw the woman slowly walking towards him. "Nyssa?" he questioned as he stood up, "What are you doing here?"

"I told you that I was going to find a way to get here."

"But I thought you were supposed to be in Finiks Jurf."

"No, I shouldn't." Nyssa corrected, "Oliver, I'm sorry I haven't been there for you or William. Both of you deserve better and you were right; this family needs to come first. I lost sight of that and both of you were the ones that received the worst of that decision. I told you that there was going to be change in the league, and there has been, but you and William are the ones I did it for."

"What kind of change…." Oliver began but stopped. "You-"

"I destroyed the nine swords."

"I don't understand. How are you even here?"

"A mutual friend helped me get the best of both worlds." Nyssa said as she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small device that she put in Oliver's hand.

"An extrapolator…" Oliver muttered, "Like the one given to Kara…"

"Cisco made it for me. With that, I can get between Star City and Finiks Jurf. No more supernatural aid is needed."

"And what about all that work you were talking about?"

"Elena helped me with that, and I can promise that it will no longer be a problem," Nyssa explained, "She told me some things that I did not realize I needed to hear, but beloved, you have no idea how sorry I am. I wasn't giving you and William what I should have and-"

Nyssa couldn't finish before Oliver put his hand around her waist and pulled her lips against his. She was startled, but it was what she wanted, and didn't do anything to fight against it; only embraced it. When they pulled away, both of them found themselves lost in the other's gaze.

"I'm just happy to have my wife back," Oliver muttered, "And I'm glad that you're going to be around more….I missed you."

"I missed you more, and I promise that you will never have to say that to me again."

"Nys, you don't need to promise me anything."

"No, I do," Nyssa insisted, "Because you once said I always keep my promises."


End file.
